“It's 2 days in a conference room” – PGA Tour rookie Chris Gotterup details the circuit’s orientation process
PGA Tour rookie Chris Gotterup shared his experience of going through the PGA Tour orientation in a recent interview with the ForePlay podcast.
Last year, Gotterup earned the PGA Tour card for this season after finishing No. 23 on the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Points List. While he has made 14 starts on the PGA Tour, the American Express this week is his first appearance as a full-time member. Last weekend, he was in Waialae, Hawaii, for the PGA Tour orientation ahead of the start of his rookie season.
"It's two days in a conference room. And they explained the whole in and out of how committing to events and all the retirement stuff. All the stuff that you shouldn't think that you need to think about. But right at the moment, it doesn't sound important but it is important," Gotterup said.
"So I try to listen the best I can. But to be honest I was a little spoiled like with the 12 events that I played or however many events I kind of got like walked through that stuff a little bit. And then Korn Ferry, it's the same platform as PGA. So like we know how to work the app and stuff and how to do it," he added.
Gotterup further stated that, having played on the Korn Ferry Tour, which is similar to the PGA Tour, he had an idea of a few things. However, he revealed that he had forgotten to sign up for one event last year, which is why he paid attention to that specific part during the orientation.
"It was just a big mess-up," he continued. "But, so, I paid attention during that section. It's two days of a lot of information and stuff that is important."
When will Chris Gotterup tee off at the American Express, round 2?
Chris Gotterup is paired with another rookie, Chan Kim, and the duo will tee off for the Friday round of the American Express at 12:36 p.m. ET from Hole 1 of the PGA West Course. Both teed off at the Nicklaus Tournament Course in the opening round on Thursday. While Kim shot 64 to finish the day at T5, Gotterup finished 155th after shooting 77.
Both Zach Johnson and Alex Noren played the first round at La Quinta Country Club and shot 10-under-62 to take the one-stroke lead. The duo will begin their second round on the PGA West-Nicklaus Tournament course. Johnson is paired with Brandt Snedeker, and the duo will tee off on Round 2 at 12:14 p.m. ET. Noren is paired alongside Christiaan Bezuidenhout and will begin their game at 12:47 p.m. ET.
The play on the second day will begin at 11:30 a.m. ET. Troy Merritt and Josh Teater will begin on the first tee of the PGA West Nicklaus Course, and Andrew Novak and Matti Schmid will tee off on the 10th.
At PGA West Nicklaus Course, Ben Griffin and Davis Thompson will begin on the first tee, and Ben Griffin and Davis Thompson will start from the 10th tee. S.H. Kim and Tyson Alexander will start from the first tee of La Quinta Country Club, and Sam Ryder and Peter Malnati will start from hole 10.