NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. — Chris Gotterup walked through Aronimink Golf Club during the second day of the PGA Championship looking like he knew every inch of the course.
The reality is that Gotterup had never laid eyes on Aronimink until Monday. He simply feels comfortable in this region, working his shots through the wind during a chilly Friday morning.
“I slept in my own bed on Sunday, so I take that as a win when I can get it,” Gotterup said. “You know, it’s nice to be back wearing a sweatshirt and being in the Northeast.”
The Little Silver, N.J. native, who lives less than two hours east of the course near the Jersey Shore, posted an impressive 5-under-par 65 that moved him up the rankings during Friday’s second round of the PGA Championship. Through Friday afternoon, no competitor has recorded anything better than a 67 this week.
Gotterup enters the weekend at 3-under 137, positioning himself as a legitimate contender for the major championship. The 26-year-old professional, who has captured four victories since receiving his PGA Tour card in 2024, will advance to the weekend rounds at his fourth straight major tournament.
He surprised many observers last summer when he battled Rory McIlroy to claim victory at the Scottish Open, then remained competitive throughout the week at Royal Portrush and finished third at the Open Championship.
“I feel like, if I’m playing well, I can compete anywhere,” Gotterup said Friday. “That’s no different here. But I think it’s just hard to say what (the Open) did for me other than build confidence. I felt like I played some of my best golf maybe ever as a pro that week, and I came in third.
“So like it’s just one of those things where you just got to keep — I feel like you got to keep putting yourself in position, and you hope that one day it breaks through and it was your time. But as long as you can keep putting yourself there, I think that’s all you can do.”
Perhaps strong winds serve as the connecting factor between the British Isles and the Philadelphia area this week.
Wind speeds reaching approximately 30 mph have made the already challenging pin placements set by the PGA of America even more difficult. While Gotterup’s initial three birdie putts were lengthy shots from 26 1/2, 23 and 20 feet at holes 11, 17 and 3, he executed precise approach shots while birdieing his final three holes.
On the par-4 seventh hole, his 100-yard pitch shot settled just 2 feet from the cup despite the challenging wind conditions. Next came the par-3 eighth, which has proven to be the most difficult hole this week. Confronting a sand-guarded front-right pin placement, Gotterup placed his tee shot within 5 feet of the target.
“Even if it’s a generic shot, if it’s blowing 30 off the right, you’ve got to be able to craft something that is manageable to get it in the middle of the green,” Gotterup said.
“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better since turning pro at being OK with hitting it to 30 feet being a good shot, and I think there’s a lot of that out here. So I think there’s a lot of aspects of being patient, and I feel like I’ve gotten better at that, but also just being creative and being willing to execute a shot that might, you know, you might not try and pull off in a normal week.”
Gotterup, a Rutgers graduate, mentioned that his parents attended Friday’s round and his girlfriend along with her family watched both of the opening rounds, accompanied by several friends.
“So it’s been fun in that respect. It makes it feel a little bit more like you’re at home,” Gotterup said. “For how much we’re on the road, you don’t get to feel that that much.”
His family and friends can witness directly how Gotterup is becoming increasingly comfortable competing at the highest levels of major championships.
“Every tournament that I’ve won has been a challenge. So hopefully give myself a challenge come Sunday,” Gotterup said. “I’m just trying to put myself there … and if it comes through, great, and if not, I’ll learn from it.”
