Chris Gotterup outdueled Rory McIlroy in Scotland, embracing the villain role and silencing the crowd to claim his second PGA Tour win at the Genesis Scottish Open
Chris Gotterup unexpectedly outdueled Rory McIlroy for a career win at the Genesis Scottish Open(Image: Getty)
When Chris Gotterup stepped onto the 18th tee at the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open, the crowd’s allegiance was obvious — and it wasn’t with him.
The cheers for Rory McIlroy, who said he only got four hours of sleep after the tournament, dominated the Renaissance Club, but instead of intimidation, that energy fueled a decisive statement.
“The crowd was definitely calling for Rory and not me, so it definitely made me want to stick it up to him a little bit, too. I don’t really know why,” Gotterup said. He also recently stuck it to an “expert” who predicted his downfall at TPC Twin Cities.
That defiance became a defining moment on Sunday. Gotterup and McIlroy entered the day tied atop the leaderboard. But the American played with singular focus, shooting a composed 4‑under 66 to finish at 15‑under, two strokes ahead of McIlroy and Marco Penge.
It marked his second PGA Tour win and punched his ticket to the Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
Reflecting on the final round, Gotterup didn’t shy away from calling himself the “villain” in the narrative. “There were a lot of cries of ‘Rory’ and not many of ‘Chris’… I felt like I was ready and prepared mentally today,” he said.
Emotions surfaced in full force after he holed the final putt. Through tears, he told CBS Sports: “I don’t know if I’m going to be able to get it out… but it’s awesome.” Gotterup’s reaction showed how much the win meant after a rocky start to the season.
That rocky start included eight missed cuts in his first twelve PGA Tour events of 2025. But since the Valero Texas Open, he missed just one cut and turned his form around with consistent finishes, including a third-place result at the Open Championship. Gotterup is now emerging as one of the Tour’s most compelling stories.
This is so awesome. Chris Gotterup is such a raw, big dude. And this is a genuine moment as he lets his guard down and gets emotional.
Stares down Rory McIlroy to win the Scottish Open. Clinches a spot in The Open. Feels like his life is about to change. pic.twitter.com/PqKlO00iB3
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) July 13, 2025
McIlroy said it best post-match when he backed Gotterup’s performance: “Chris played a great round of golf. He was so solid,” adding that after Gotterup built a two-stroke lead, “I just couldn’t claw back.”
Gotterup later revealed how seriously he treats moments like this.
Asked what it felt like to face McIlroy head-to-head, he said: “I felt good on the first tee today… I felt comfortable.
“I knew I was playing well this week. I felt like I was ready for the challenge.”
By embracing the villain role and letting the stakes elevate his game, Gotterup showed something beyond golf swing mechanics: mental fortitude.
His final-round birdies on holes 10 and 12 turned the tide, and even a bogey on 15 couldn’t shake him — he responded with a clutch birdie on 16 to seal his place.