Rory McIlroy came up just short during the final round of The Scottish Open on Sunday, with Chris Gotterup earning a memorable win in the end.
McIlroy entered the final round tied for the lead with Chris Gotterup, but it was the American who took the spoils and lifted The Scottish Open trophy.
Gotterup was backed to win The Scottish Open by Rich Beem, and the American commentator was proven to be absolutely spot on with that call.
The 25-year-old American will have gained a huge following after his performance at The Renaissance Club this week.
Gotterup’s attitude was on point all week long, and he didn’t seem to be fazed one little bit by the situation he was in.
So how did he find the experience of playing alongside McIlroy during the final round of The Scottish Open?
Chris Gotterup says what Rory McIlroy was like to play with at The Scottish Open
Gotterup’s life will completely change now after winning such a huge event.
The American could well be a star of the future.
He certainly has the attributes required to make it at the very highest level of the game.
Gotterup spoke to reporters after his final round of 66 and responded when asked what it was really like to play with McIlroy on day four at The Renaissance Club.
He said: “I felt good on the first tee today, shockingly, I felt comfortable, I knew I was playing well this week. I felt like I was ready for the challenge. Like I said yesterday, that’s why I practice, to play against the best. It was a pleasure to play with him, and obviously all the support he gets is amazing, but it was nice to kind of ruin that a little bit.“
Gotterup clearly flourished in the heat of the battle on Sunday at The Scottish Open, and there will probably be many more big wins in the American’s future.
Rory McIlroy set up perfectly for The Open now
The good news is that the Northern Irishman seems to have got his mojo back this week.
McIlroy was the overwhelming crowd favourite at The Scottish Open during the final round, but Gotterup put in a magnificent performance to win his second PGA Tour event.
Rich Beem said a win at The Scottish Open would have been hugely significant for McIlroy, but it wasn’t to be in the end.
The five-time major champion will now have his sights firmly set on The Open Championship.
And the 35-year-old will have gained huge confidence from his performance at The Renaissance Club this week.
Gotterup deserved to win the Scottish Open, and McIlroy certainly didn’t give the tournament away.
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