Gotterup’s only experience playing links golf came at last year’s Genesis Scottish Open, a missed cut. But the 25-year-old New Jersey native has been playing well as of late. He’s made eight of his last nine cuts on the PGA TOUR, with six top 25s (but no top 10s). Luckily, the golf felt much more American than linksy for much of Friday’s second round. Playing with hardly a breath of wind, Gotterup was able to point and fire at most flags, which he did admirably well. Gotterup curled in a 45-footer for his first birdie of the day at No. 2, but his next four birdies came from inside 12 feet. He added a 29-foot birdie at the ninth to make the turn in 6-under 29, then added another birdie at the tenth to start a push to shoot 59.
