NORTH BERWICK, Scotland (AP) — Chris Gotterup got here up with the clutch pictures on the most important stage he has confronted Sunday, taking down crowd favourite Rory McIlroy with a 4-under 66 and a two-shot victory within the Scottish Open that provides him one other week of hyperlinks golf.
Gotterup was one shot forward of McIlroy when he hit his tee shot on the 196-yard twelfth gap to 2 ft for birdie — McIlroy missed from 4 ft — to take command.
Gotterup’s lead was down to at least one over McIlroy and England’s Marco Penge, however McIlroy missed a 12-foot birdie on the par-5 sixteenth and Gotterup hit a right-to-left putt from 10 ft within the coronary heart of the cup for a two-shot lead with two to play.
Gotterup was so emotional when it was over he might barely converse, rubbing his eyes earlier than saying, “Everybody at residence … that is superior. I’m not going to have the ability to preserve it collectively.”
He didn’t blink the remainder of the best way on the course after his last birdie, successful by two over McIlroy (68) and Penge (66) for his second PGA Tour title.
“Chris performed an important spherical of golf. He was so strong,” McIlroy stated. “Made the bogey on 15 however bounced again with a very nice birdie on 16. After he received a pair forward, I simply couldn’t claw again.”
Gotterup, constructed extra like fellow New Jersey athlete Mike Trout than a golfer, additionally received the opposite-field Myrtle Seashore Basic final 12 months.
Subsequent cease is the British Open
The Genesis Scottish Open had one of many strongest fields of the 12 months, and the perks are far better. Gotterup, who performed three years at Rutgers and received player-of-the-year awards as a senior at Oklahoma, will get into the Masters for the primary time subsequent April.
The primary cease is the British Open at Royal Portrush. Gotterup earned one of many three last spots by way of the Worldwide Qualifying Collection, joined by Nicolai Hojgaard and Matti Schmid.
Hojgaard closed with a 64 to maneuver up 11 spots right into a tie for fourth to hitch his twin brother at Royal Portrush. Schmid shot 71 and tied for seventeenth, helped by Jake Knapp’s late collapse.
Knapp was tied for the lead by way of 5 holes, however he took double bogey on the par-3 ninth and the remainder of the again 9 didn’t go a lot better. He closed with a 74, dropping on an opportunity to win and to play subsequent week at Royal Portrush.
Good timing for McIlroy
McIlroy had stated he was enjoying his finest golf since going into the Masters, which he received in emotional style to finish the profession Grand Slam. This was the primary time he had severely contended since that Masters victory, good timing with the Open in his native Northern Eire beginning on Thursday.
However he couldn’t sustain with Gotterup, who appeared shaky initially when he drove right into a bunker and needed to make a 4-foot bogey putt. He was rock strong the remainder of the best way.
“I’m actually pleased with the place my recreation is — the best way I performed over the weekend, the pictures that I hit, how I managed my ball flight,” McIlroy stated. “It has been an important week. Lacking the trophy, that’s about it.”
McIlroy battled to the top, particularly on No. 11 when he needed to pitch out left-handed and nonetheless managed to avoid wasting par. When it was over, he stated he was on his approach to Royal Portrush, which McIlroy had not seen for the reason that Friday of the 2019 British Open when he missed the reduce.
Former U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick had a 67 and tied for fourth with Hojgaard, choosing up helpful FedEx Cup factors in what has been a down 12 months.
Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 participant coming off a two-week break, had a 67 and tied for eighth. It was his tenth consecutive event ending eighth or higher, a streak that started within the Houston Open.
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