BMW CHAMPIONSHIP

August 20, 2026

Chris Gotterup

Bellerive Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Bogey-free 64. What did you like about your opening round?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I liked it was relatively stress-free, until 18 there. But felt like I did a good job of when I put it in play, took advantage of it. Then when I got it a little off line, I got it to where I needed to get up-and-down from to save par.

Q. Memphis to today where are you feeling strongest in your game, what area?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: Yeah, I think I'm driving it nicely. It's kind of been my whole year. Felt like I worked hard on Monday -- I just couldn't get the putter going at all last week -- worked hard with Tim and James, and we were, we hopefully got the putter in a good spot. I think I putted really well today. Yeah, I feel like just keep building on that and if I can drive it well and putt it good, I'm probably going to play all right.

Q. What were your expectations coming into this week? Big course. For your game, do you feel like it's a match for your skill set?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: Yeah, I mean it's easy to walk out there and think it matches and then, you know, you just have to hit the shots. You got to be in the fairway out here for the most part. Just got to be able to take advantage of par-5s and some of the easier pins on the par-4s. But be able to hone it back on some of the tougher holes as well. So I think obviously I like when I show up and I see a big golf course. I think that, you know, makes me feel good to begin with. But, yeah, coming off a week like last week where it's very A to B, and this week where you can kind of get out and get after it a little bit, it's a nice feeling.

Q. There's been a lot of talk about Player of the Year. How much have you been listening to that at all and if you win this week do you feel like you're in good shape for that race?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: Frankly, it doesn't totally matter. I'm trying to play the best I can. If it works out, it works out. If not, I've had a pretty good year regardless. Really just trying to play well this week and see what happens. But, yeah, I haven't really thought too much about it.

Q. Why is it so bunched without separation, do you think?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: Without separation? Probably because it's soft. But I don't think it's like -- I don't know. I don't think it's a -- I think it's a good golf course that's not overly penalizing. I think you can get it around and make some birdies here, but you can also make a couple easy bogeys. So I think -- it's not -- like, you're not going to make too many double bogeys out here, I think. Where, last week, you could make a triple in a heartbeat. But I don't think that's really the case out here. But I think, I don't think you're going to see anyone shoot a 10-under out here either. I could be wrong, someone's probably going to do it tomorrow now.

Q. Did you make triple in a heartbeat last week?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: I didn't, no. But you could. You definitely could.