Chris Gotterup beats Rory McIlroy to win Scottish Open and qualify for The Open

I can beat anyone!

After a thrilling match with The Masters champion Rory McIlroy at Renaissance Club (North Berwick, Scotland), Chris Gotterup affirmed his position with his second victory on the PGA Tour and, equally important, a ticket to The Open at Royal Portrush.

But the crowning moment came not with a spectacular shot, but with a moment of speechless emotion.

“Give me a second… I don’t know if I can say it. But honestly, this is so amazing. I can’t keep calm. And I get to play The Open next week,” Gotterup choked up, tears welling up in her eyes.

Known for his powerful swing but often inconsistent on the greens, Gotterup put in a stellar round on both the tee and the putt on the final day. He closed the round with a 4-under 66 for a total score of 15-under (265), thereby surpassing Rory McIlroy and Marco Penge (England) by two strokes to win the championship.

It was a landmark achievement for Gotterup, a former college star at Rutgers and Oklahoma who won both the Jack Nicklaus and Haskins Awards in 2022. Gotterup became the sixth American golfer in history to win the Scottish Open. And just a week before his 26th birthday, he pocketed $1.575 million in prize money and a burst of confidence as he faced off against the world's top golfers.

“I was a one-time champion. But hearing ‘two-time champion’ is different,” Gotterup beamed. “I know what I am capable of. When I play well, like today, I can beat anyone.”

Gotterup won his second career PGA Tour title.

How well does Gotterup play?

The win was a testament to Gotterup’s transformation in what was once considered a weakness – putting. Before the tournament, he was ranked 132nd in putting average and 143rd in putts per round. But at the Scottish Open, Gotterup was second in strokes gained/driving and fourth in both strokes gained/driving and putting. His efficiency on the greens was the key factor that helped him surpass McIlroy and the other competitors in the final round.

The win also marked a major turning point in Gotterup's career. He is expected to jump from No. 158 to the world's top 50, a meteoric rise. Last year, after his first PGA Tour win at the Myrtle Beach Classic, he had high expectations but fell behind and even had to take three months off due to a recurrence of a hand injury he had undergone surgery on.

The time off has clearly paid off. Gotterup has 10 top-25 finishes this season, including a T23 at the US Open at Oakmont and now his second career PGA Tour title.

“Both wins were memorable. But the second win is always harder because of the expectations, because of the pressure. This week, I feel like I really stepped up to the next level, just like what my team and I have always aimed for," Gotterup said.

McIlroy satisfied with runner-up position at Scottish Open 2025.

McIlroy satisfied despite missing the championship

Rory McIlroy edged closer to his 30th career PGA Tour title, but a final-round 68 wasn't enough to keep him in the lead. It was McIlroy's worst round at the Renaissance Club in 12 appearances there.

Leading Gotterup by a stroke after six holes, McIlroy was caught on hole 7 with Gotterup's 10-foot birdie. They both birdied hole 8, but that was McIlroy's final birdie of the day.

Gotterup, on the other hand, made a strong run with a birdie on the par-5 10th, and took a two-shot lead with a tee shot that missed the flag by just over half a yard on the par-3 12th. Despite bogeying the 15th after a slow play warning, Gotterup recovered with a birdie on the 16th, while McIlroy missed a four-yard birdie.

“Chris played a great round. He was very solid. After the birdie on 16, I knew I couldn’t catch him,” McIlroy admitted. Having finished first, fourth and second in his last three appearances at the Scottish Open, McIlroy left the tournament in positive spirits.

“I am happy with my current form, with the way I hit the ball and controlled the match last weekend. Everything is good, just a pity that the trophy is missing."