North Berwick, Scotland – Only his second year on the PGA Tour, Rutgers product Chris Gotterup captures the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open title. While Gotterup isn’t a household name yet, you may recognize him from his first win at the 2024 Myrtle Beach Classic. Gotterup beat out recent Grand Slam winner Rory McIlroy who came up just shy of the Scottish Open title for the second time in three years. Chris Gotterup outlasted Rory, Merco Penge, Jake Knapp, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Wyndham Clark among others to capture the win leading into the year’s fourth major championship next week.
Typically, this week is all about adjustments and preparations for The Open. Most players adjust to not only the time zone difference but also to the changes in course style. Links golf can play so different than traditional American style golf that PGA Tour players are accustomed to week in and week out. Not all players have adjusted well though. 2025 US Open winner JJ Spaun missed the cut after carding a 70 and 72 on Thursday and Friday. Two time major winner Collin Morikawa also missed the cut this week. Collin shot a respectable round of 68 on Thursday but followed that up with a six over par 76 on Friday to miss the cut by five shots.
Missed cuts aside, there was plenty to talk about when it comes to those in contention. Two of the low rounds of the week belonged to Sepp Straka and Jake Knapp who posted a pair of six under 64s on Thursday morning. While Straka finished in seventh place after rounds of 64, 69, 70, and 67, Knapp unfortunately wasn’t able to cash in his good first round with an over par final round that set him back and out of the top 20 players. Both players are still in the Open field next week and this week’s success should help set them up well for next week’s final major.
Sunday’s final round came down to only a few players though. Alongside Chris Gotterup competing for a win were Marco Penge and Rory McIlroy. Most are likely unfamiliar with Marco Penge who is a full time member of the European Tour. He only has one Euro Tour win on his resume after serving a suspension after he was caught betting on golf late in 2024. McIlroy, however is certainly a household name and played marvelously all week. On Sunday, Rory and Penge both held the lead at some point during the day. However, Penge’s five birdies to just one bogey came up just short of the leader Gotterup. Rory’s back to back birdies at holes four and five in addition to his birdie at eight gave him his first lead of the final round. However, that is where his birdies would end and ultimately would come up short on the final hole.
It was all Gotterup as the sun set over Scotland on Sunday. His six birdies were good enough for a two shot lead and the tears started flowing once the final putt dropped. A life changing win for Chris who will also be in great position to perform well next week at The 2025 Open Championship.
Next week, the year’s final major begins at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, Rory’s hometown. Could this be his year to win two majors?
Chris Gotterup What’s In The Bag:
Driver: Ping G440 LST 9 degrees (Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 70 TX)
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 18 degrees (Mitsubishi Diamana WB 83 TX)
Utility iron: TaylorMade RSi TP UDI (KBS C-Taper 130 X)
Irons: Bridgestone 220 MB (4-9) (KBS C-Taper 130 X)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (46, 52), TaylorMade MG Proto (56, 60)
Putter: TaylorMade Spider X Tour
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