As they say in Scotland, Chris Gotterup is built like a brick outhouse or another word to that effect. “I wouldn’t like to take him on in an arm-wrestling contest,” quipped a photographer of the American, who looks as though he could be useful for security duty with one of the marquee groups in this week’s Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian. The 25-year-old could well be in one of those groups himself one day if a sensational second-round effort is anything to go by. Admittedly in fairly benign conditions, he carded a nine-under-par 61, which equalled the course record on the Tom Doak-designed layout. Out in 29 after picking up six birdies, three more gains were then added on the inward journey. “I wasn’t really thinking too much about 59,” insisted Gotterup, a 25-year-old who lives in Oklahoma. “To shoot 61 is still pretty cool, I think it’s actually my lowest-ever round in tournament golf. It was one of those rounds that started pretty quiet, not many people around watching us. Then you make a few birdies and you start to notice more fans, more TV cameras following you.” Though he won the Myrtle Beath Classic on the PGA Tour last year, trying to hold off the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele in an event that boasts one of the strongest fields in the game will be a huge test for the world No 158. “I played here last year and didn’t play well,” said Gotterup of missing the cut by six shots after following an opening 66 with a 77. “But I still wanted to come back this year. How often do you get a chance to come and play in Scotland and experience weather like this? “Looking at the forecast this week, there can’t be many better places in the whole world to be playing golf than right here in Scotland. That was my first-ever experience of links golf last year. My family is Danish, but they don’t really have any of this kind of course over there.” Gotterup smiled when it was pointed out that people had been commenting on him being someone who looked as though he could be playing in the front row for Scotland’s rugby side touring the Pacific at the moment. ”I like to think I’ve got a pretty powerful game,” he observed. “I grew up learning to basically hit the ball as hard as I could and then figure it out from there. I’ve probably bulked up a little too much and gotten a bit heavier than I would like. But I feel like I have good touch in my game as well. “I played lacrosse when I was younger and that definitely helps with my swing speed. It’s a similar type of motion where you just try to rip it as hard as you can.” Bob MacIntyre does the exactly the same but, in his case, it’s through a love for playing shinty. “I don’t know a whole lot about that,” admitted Gotterup, “but I guess it’s similar to lacrosse in the sense that you need to be tough.” The players in Europe’s team heading to Bethpage Black in September will definitely need to be mentally tough as they bid to retain the Ryder Cup in front of a rowdy New York crowd and Harry Hall is making a strong case to make a rookie appearance in the biennial event. Paired with European captain Luke Donald in the opening two rounds on Scotland’s Golf Coast, the Cornishmen handled his audition superbly, following an opening 67 with a 64 to have Gotterup in his sights heading into the weekend in the $9 million Rolex Series event. “I don’t know if I like it,” replied Hall of still being in a position where he is flying under the radar despite landing a maiden PGA Tour and DP World Tour win exactly 12 months ago in the ISCO Championship, another co-sanctioned event. “I want to be one of the best and that comes with being in the spotlight and, when you’re not, you’ve just got to get motivated to keep going. “I think I’m probably more known in the US now just from being on the PGA Tour, but, hopefully, I can play good golf when I come back here and people will know my name. I’m playing really nicely. I think everything in my game is in a good spot and I’m looking forward to the weekend.” As is fellow Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick, who has been struggling with his game over the past 18 months or so but, as evidenced by a second-round 63 to sit just three shots behind Gotterup, is beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. A strong performance here would boost the 2022 US Open champion’s hopes of playing in a fourth Ryder Cup. “Yes and no,” he said of Donald having spoken on Monday about it being “two big weeks” for players vying to be on his side on Long Island. “The Scottish Open is a big event and it doesn’t get any bigger than The Open Championship. So I think it is big in that aspect. But links golf is very different to what you will be playing in the Ryder Cup and it is also very different to what you play most of the year on the PGA Tour and even in Europe. “Obviously winning the Scottish Open and The Open Championship won’t be taken with a pinch of salt, but I can see how other results may be taken with a pinch of salt.”