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Former Rutgers, Oklahoma golfer Chris Gotterup holds off Rory McIlroy to win Scottish Open

IMG_6598by: Nick Kosko07/13/25nickkosko59
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Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Former Rutgers and Oklahoma star golfer Chris Gotterup held off Rory McIlroy to win the Scottish Open Sunday. It was his second career PGA Tour win.

Gotterup held off McIlroy, as well as Marco Penge, to win the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open with a score of -15 over the course of four rounds. He won by two shots.

The 25-year-old New Jersey native turned pro in 2022 and won his first PGA Tour event in Myrtle Beach last year. Now, he has a notable win over a notable opponent this calendar year.

“I just hung in there tight and tried to keep it together here,” Gotterup said on CBS after the win. “After my start this week, I really struggled. Then I found something on Friday and today, I knew it was going to be a grind. Yesterday was a grind too. Hitting the bunker on the first hole, I’m like, ‘oh, sh—, here we go,’ but I held it together really well. It was so much fun out there.”

Gotterup was an All-American at Rutgers and then saved his best for his last in college. He won the Haskins Award and Jack Nicklaus award as the nation’s top golfer during his grad year at Oklahoma.

Safe to say, the wins were foreseen by Gotterup and those around him. Now with two wins on his pro resume, there’s certainly more to come. Gotterup automatically qualified for this year’s Open Championship (British Open), which is set for next week.

“Golf has a new up-and-comer,” CBS play-by-play man Jim Nantz said on the broadcast. “You may not have recognized the name at the beginning of the week, but you’re never going to forget it now.”

Rutgers head coach Rob Shutte praised his former golfer’s resilience, talent and development over the course of his college and pro career. This year’s Open Championship will be the third major appearance for Gotterup.

“We are unbelievably proud of Chris,” Shutte said. “This is a monumental accomplishment and a testament to his hard work, talent, and belief in himself. Watching him compete and succeed at the highest level is inspiring for our entire program and the Rutgers community. He’s always represented us with pride, and now the world is seeing what we’ve known all along.”

Gotterup set a course record Friday, shooting a 61. He went into the final round tied with McIlroy and then shot a 66 on the final day to win the Scottish Open.