The underdog became the top dog at the Genesis Scottish Open. Not so much a turn up for the books, more a Gotterup for them?
Hopelessly contrived article introductions aside, this was a wonderful win for Chris Gotterup as the 25-year-old American, who was ranked 158th in the world at the start of the week, claimed the biggest title of his career.
Having stood firm to stave off a chasing pack that included the Masters champion and world No 2, Rory McIlroy, Gotterup could allow himself a wobble at the end.
“I'm not going to be able to keep it together,” he said with a tear in his eye as the magnitude of the moment began to sink in.
As well as the coveted title – and a cheque for some $1.5 million – Gotterup also earned a spot in this week’s Open Championship at Royal Potrush. It was a decent day’s work.
His canny, composed two-under 68 gave him a 13-under total and a two-shot victory over McIlroy and the spirited Englishman, Marco Penge.
“I definitely was the villain out there today,” he added with a smile. “There were a lot of cries of ‘Rory’ and not many of ‘Chris’.”
In the heat of the battle, Gotterup also had to contend with a warning from an official for slow play.
“We (his group) got warned on 13 for pace, which was a little odd because we were waiting all day,” he said. “Then on 15, I got individually timed, which was shocking. That got my blood going a little bit more than it was already going trying to win a golf tournament.”
Nobody said winning was easy. At one stage of the afternoon, there were five players tied at the top.
In addition to McIlroy, the emergence on the leaderboard of the likes of Matthew Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose, Xander Schauffele, Viktor Hovland and the world No 1, Scottie Scheffler, should’ve been accompanied by the kind of ominous rumbling you’d hear when heavy artillery gets manoeuvred into a strategic position.
Gotterup was up for the fight, though. Well, after an initial misfire. “I hit it in the bunker on the first hole and was like, ‘oh, s**t, here we go,” said Gotterup who was sharing the lead with McIlroy heading into the final round.
That early diversion into the sand didn’t alter his course and his tenacious efforts kept him right in the thick of it.
McIlroy seemed to be taking charge as he moved to the front with a trio of birdies on the front nine but after a 20-footer on the eighth, those birdies dried up.
The 2023 Scottish Open champion didn’t make another over his last 10 holes.
By the 12th, Gotterup was two clear of the pack. He missed a good chance to extend that on 13 then stumbled to a bogey on the next. The door was still ajar.
Gotterup, though, remained as sturdy as the rock of Fidra Island and a birdie on 16 pushed him towards a mighty triumph.
The Maryland man had been planning to fly to the west coast of America for a PGA Tour event this week. Instead, he’s nipping over to Northern Ireland for an Open debut.
“I'm happy I'm not flying from here to California,” he said as he cancelled those transatlantic flights.
Gotterup, who will now vault into the world’s top-50, made his breakthrough on the PGA Tour at Myrtle Beach last season. This win, though, is on a different level.
“A lot of people say that the second one is harder just because you have expectations and whatnot,” he said. “It's definitely more a validation this week. Myrtle Beach was amazing, but this one is the next step.
“I knew today was going to be a battle and Rory is one of the best to ever do it. I’m happy I edged him out.”
Despite the disappointment of defeat, McIlroy will head to the Open in his homeland with a spring in his step.
“I’m really happy with where my game is,” he said. “I gave myself plenty of chances coming down the stretch. But Chris played a great round of golf and I just couldn’t claw it back.”
Penge, the winner of the Scottish Amateur Open Strokeplay Championship up at Moray a decade ago, deserved great credit for a dogged 66 while Fitzpatrick’s return to form continued with a round that included an eagle from 35-feet on the 10th in a 67 as the former US Open champion shared fourth with the fast-finishing Nicolai Hojgaard.
Nobody finished faster, meanwhile, than Justin Rose as the Ryder Cup stalwart came barging up the standings with a delightfully assembled seven-under 63 which left him in a share of sixth on 11-under.
“I felt a round like that has been out there for me this week,” said Rose.
The ultimate prize, and the plaudits, belonged to Gotterup.
