Chris Gotterup started the day with a share of the lead and fired six birdies and two bogeys to close with a 4-under 66, reach 15-under and win the Genesis Scottish Open by two shots.
“Knew today was going to be a battle and Rory is one of the best to ever do it. Happy I edged him out,” said Gotterup. “It wasn’t going to be an easy day. There was a pretty bunched — there’s bunch of guys at 9. So I knew someone was going to do something.
“So yeah, I really settled in nicely to the round after the first hole, and didn’t really look back.
“It won’t settle in until everything kind of works out. We’ll be going up to Portrush tomorrow. Be right back at it. It will be nice when I get back home at some point and really settle in and process all that happened today.
This was the American’s first DP World Tour title and second PGA Tour title (2024 ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic) in his 62nd start on The PGA Tour at the age of 25. His two top-10 finishes in his last 57 starts on Tour were wins. He improves to 2-for-2 when holding the 54-hole lead/co-lead.
Overnight co-leader Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland finished runner-up for the twelfth time in 270 starts having made three birdies and one bogey for a 66.
“The conditions, you know, it was pretty windy,” said McIlroy. “It was hard to get the ball super close. I gave myself plenty of chances coming down the stretch.
“The putter, not that I felt like I hit good putts but I feel like the greens deteriorated as the week went on and just got a little bumpy. I had some putts and some looks that felt like I hit good putts that just didn’t go in, whether they were mis-reads or poor speed here and there.
“But yeah, Chris played a great round of golf. He was so solid. Made the bogey on 15 but bounced back with a really nice birdie on 16. Yeah, after he got a couple ahead, I just couldn’t claw back.
“It’s been a great week. I’m really happy with where my game is; the way I played over the weekend; the shots that I hit, how I controlled my ball flight. It has been a great week. Missing the trophy, that’s about it. ”
England’s Marco Penge tied for second place at 13-under with a final-round 66 featuring one bogey and five birdies.
Denmark’s Nicolai Højgaard and England’s Matt Fitzpatrick tied for fourth place at 12-under after carding rounds of 64 and 67 respectively.
England’s Justin Rose carded the lowest round of the day, a bogey-free 63, to finish in solo sixth place at 11-under.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler of the USA carded a 67 to finish T8 at 9-under, he has finished inside the top 25 in all his fifteen starts this season, with ten consecutive top-10 finishes.
One week before defending his 2024 Open Championship victory, fellow American Xander Schauffele finished T8.
Defending champion Robert MacIntyre of Scotland carded a 71 and finished T65 at 2-over.
The Genesis Scottish Open is the final event of The Open Qualifying Series (OQS) where three spots were available into next week’s 153rd Open at Royal Portrush; the top three players, not otherwise exempt, who made the cut at the Genesis Scottish Open and earned an exemption were Chris Gotterup, Nicolai Højgaard and Germany’s Matti Schmid.
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