Chris Gotterup Opens Up About Emotional First Visit to the Augusta National
Chris Gotterup USA, OCTOBER 9, 2025 - Golf : Baycurrent Classic Presented by LEXUS 1st round at Yokohama Country Club, Kanagawa, Japan. Noxthirdxpartyxsales PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxJPN aflo_306639528
Chris Gotterup USA, OCTOBER 9, 2025 - Golf : Baycurrent Classic Presented by LEXUS 1st round at Yokohama Country Club, Kanagawa, Japan. Noxthirdxpartyxsales PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxJPN aflo_306639528
Chris Gotterup finally took a break after winning four consecutive tournaments. However, the rest that he took still involved one of golf's most iconic locations: Augusta National Golf Club.
“Me and my dad and my brother actually went and got a practice round in at Augusta,” Gotterup said during the Arnold Palmer Invitational press conference. “So a week off kind of.”
The stretch had been long. Even during an off week at The American Express, he stayed on the West Coast instead of going home.
“I felt like I actually played six in a row… I haven’t been home for a while. It was a lot of golf, a much needed week off.”
If that sounds like exhaustion, the visit to Augusta reframed it.
“It’s one of those things that you just kind of always hope to be able to go there,” he said. For any professional, a round at Augusta carries weight.
July 27th, 2025: Chris Gotterup of the United States hits his shot on the second tee during the final round of the 3M Open 2025 at TPC Twin Cities on July 27th, 2025 in Blaine, Minnesota. -CSM Blaine USA - ZUMAc04_ 20250727_zma_c04_039 Copyright: xStevenxGarciax
July 27th, 2025: Chris Gotterup of the United States hits his shot on the second tee during the final round of the 3M Open 2025 at TPC Twin Cities on July 27th, 2025 in Blaine, Minnesota. -CSM Blaine USA - ZUMAc04_ 20250727_zma_c04_039 Copyright: xStevenxGarciax
The club hosts the Masters Tournament each April, one of golf’s four majors and the only one played at the same venue every year.
“To be able to play a meaningful round there… obviously everyone in the world of golf would love to go play a round there,” Gotterup added. But what made it personal was who stood beside him.
“My brother and my dad had never played either, so to be able to go down there with them and share that whole experience was really cool.”
For a rising PGA Tour winner, it wasn’t just another round. It was a milestone — shared.
On Paper, It’s Been a Big Start forChris Gotterup in 2026
If you’re judging by results, the season’s already been a success.
Started 2026 by conquering the Sony Open in Hawaii, where he was the leader at 16-under, he got a payout of $1.638 million. A couple of weeks after that, he ended up T18 at the Farmers Insurance Open at 11-under. Then he triumphed next time, going to the WM Phoenix Open and equaling 16-under, which brought him another $1.728 million.
That’s two wins before March.
However, things have not gone completely smoothly for him. At the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, he finished tied for 37th. After shooting 71 and 74, he was also among the players to miss the cut at The Genesis Invitational.
His beginnings appear promising if you look at the stats. However, the outcomes do not always indicate that everything is fine and harmonious.
And for Chris Gotterup, that difference could define what comes next.
What do you think? Tell us in the comments and read more at Daily Club Golf!
Written by
Dolly Bhamrick
Edited by
Oajaswini Prabhu