Listen, if you are playing against Rory McIlroy in Europe, you should know where the crowd’s loyalties will stand. So when Chris Gotterup walked onto the final tee at the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open, the cheers were definitely loud, but they were not for him. They did light a fire in him, though.
The Scottish Open was the first major instance where McIlroy and Gotterup directly faced each other. And it was not just the Irishman that the young player had to face, but this tournament had brought together most of golf’s top talent — from world number 1 Scottie Scheffler to the 2022 winner Xander Schauffele. Other big names included defending champion Robert MacIntyre and rising stars like Ludvig Åberg.
Talking to Jimmy Reid on the Lincoln Financial‘s YouTube page, the 26-year-old shared what he felt facing these players: “I think it just heightens your focus a little bit, too, because you know that you’re playing against the best in the world and you’ve got to bring it.”
On the final day, McIlory and Gotterup shared the 54-hole lead and dueled atop the leaderboard. A closing round of 4-under 66 brought the latter to 15-under total, earning him a two-stroke victory over McIlroy and England’s Marco Page. Although he lost, Rory McIlroy had the fans behind him. For any other young player, this lopsided support could have been overwhelming. But for Gotterup, this was the motivation to win.
“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.”
This edge has always been a part of his style. After his win, Gotterup admitted to being the villain on the course. “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 in the post-round press conference. The young player played so well that even the five-time major champion couldn’t help but appreciate his game. After Gotterup clinched his second PGA Tour win, McIlory approached and congratulated him, and was seen patting his back when he was signing his scorecard. Now, if you know Rory, you know he doesn’t mingle much on the course. This must say a lot about the young American’s performance.
Later on, Gotterup admitted it felt good to spoil the ‘Rory McIlroy-fueled atmosphere’ just a little. He seemed to enjoy being the ‘bad guy.’
Part of being the ‘bad guy’ is knowing when to clap back. At the 2025 3M Open, a pre-tournament analysis from Golf Digest predicted the TPC Twin Cities course would not suit Gotterup’s game. The American was quick to respond. Replying to their post on X, he said, “What classifies as ‘expert’?” He
All these instances have turned the spotlight on Gotterup. Now that he has outshone a home favorite in Scotland, he is trying to stay composed, but there might be more for him this season.
What is next for Chris Gotterup?
Chris Gotterup is having one hell of a year. After beginning 2025 with eight missed cuts in his first twelve events, the young American has flipped the script. Since the Valero Texas Open, he’s finished outside the top 30 just once — a missed cut at the RBS Canadian Open.
His The Open Championship performance was solid. At Royal Portrush, he recorded his best major finish. The 26-year-old landed in a solo third just five shots behind Scheffler. Then he backed this momentum up with another top-10 finish on American soil at the 3M Open, finishing five strokes off Kurt Kitayama‘s winning score. If there were doubts about his performance, they have been put to rest.
Undoubtedly, this streak has landed him as a potential participant in The Ryder Cup. Although it wasn’t on his radar, as he said after Portrush, his sitting at 20th in the US Ryder Cup standings makes this prospect hard to ignore. The top six players will automatically qualify later this month, and Gotterup—even if he manages to win both playoff events—won’t be one of them. But his recent form will put US captain Keegan Bradley at a crossroads, as he is a compelling wildcard option.
For now, Gotterup is skipping the Wyndham Championship. The FedEx St. Jude Championship and BMW Championship will be his last two auditions. His game is sharp, his confidence is real. Do you think the Ryder Cup could be the next chapter in his breakout season?
Let us know in the comments below.
The post PGA Tour Star Admits Wanting to ‘Stick It Up’ to Rory McIlroy After Handing Him $1.57M Defeat appeared first on EssentiallySports.
