Scottish Open winner got 'blood going' in Rory McIlroy battle after 'shocking' slow-play call

“Chris played a great round of golf,” said McIlroy of the American signing off with a four-under-par 66 in the same group as the 2023 winner to land a two-shot success at The Renaissance Club with a 15-under-par total.

On a day when play was painfully slow, the final group had been put on the clock at the 13th before Gotterup was told he was the one being individually timed two holes later. He described that as “shocking” but, at the same time, reckoned it had got his “blood going”.

It was a positive response, though, and the powerful 25-year-old was smiling at the end of the round as he landed this coveted title at the second attempt, clinching a spot in next week’s 153rd The Open at Royal Portrush.

“Amazing,” he declared of a title triumph worth $1.575 million. “I know this tournament is special to Scotland and everyone in the golf world. I mean, you look at the names on the board, they have it in the gym every day, and happy to put my name up next to those guys.”

The majority of those in a sell-out last-day crowd wanted to see McIlroy come out on top once again on the East Lothian coast, but it wasn’t to be on this occasion in the $9m Rolex Series event.

After starting the day tied for the lead with Gotterup, a closing 73 left the grand slam winner having to settle for a share of second spot with Englishman Marco Penge. It was McIlroy’s best performance, though, since winning The Masters in April and he’s heading home with a spring his step for The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush.

“It's been a great week,” insisted McIlroy. “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.”

Gotterup’s sole trophy success on the PGA Tour prior to this one came in last year’s Myrtle Beach Classic last year. He’d moved into contention here on the back of a record-equalling nine-under-par 61 on Friday and, boy, did he handle playing in the same group as McIlroy in the closing circuit extremely well indeed.

He’d moved two ahead after 13 holes before missing a golden chance at the par-3 14th to go further in front before then taking a bogey at the 15th. It was gutsy stuff, though, when he bounced back with a birdie at the par-5 16th and, unlike two years earlier, there was no birdie-birdie finish from McIlroy this time around.

“He was so solid,” said McIlroy of the new champion. “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.”

As a sun-kissed event ended under a grey sky as the haar that didn’t prove the problem it might have earlier in the day re-appeared, Gotterup was able to play the last two holes without feeling any huge pressure apart from the fact the world No 158 - he’s now inside the top 50 - was bidding to land the biggest win of his career.

“It was sort of hard to (press),” said McIlroy. “It was pretty windy. It has hard to get the ball super close. I gave myself plenty of chances coming down the stretch 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.”

Gotterup missed the cut on his debut in this event, but, after making it through to the weekend on this occasion, he was always there or thereabouts over the final two rounds. His closing effort contained six birdies, including four in five holes around the turn as McIlroy tried to apply some pressure along with fellow major winners Matthew Fitzpatrick and Justin Rose.

“I knew today was going to be a battle and Rory is one of the best to ever do it,” he said of his playing partner, with 2023 US Open winner Wyndham Clark also being in the group. “Happy I edged him out. It wasn't going to be an easy day.

“There were a bunch of guys at nine under (at the start of the day). So I knew someone was going to do something. But I really settled in nicely to the round after the first hole (which he bogeyed) and didn't really look back.”

McIlroy is due to hold a pre-event press conference at 2pm on Monday at Portrush but, to his credit, the world No 2 was happy to speak briefly to reporters before dashing off to catch a 9pm slot at Edinburgh airport for his private jet.

“No frustration, really,” he insisted of how his week had ended. “I'm really happy with where everything is. Looking forward to getting to Portrush tonight and getting out on to the golf course early tomorrow and just turning my attention to that.

“But I feel like I've gotten out of this week everything, really, that I wanted. I feel like my game got a little better each and every day. I controlled my ball flight, iron play was great. I feel like I did enough good things off the tee. Everything is in a really good spot and I'm happy with how my game progressed as the week went on.”

In addition to Gotterup, Dane Nicolai Hojgaard and German Matti Schmid also booked berths in The Open, the latter pipping England’s Andy Sullivan by virtue of a higher world ranking.