Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Emotional Chris Gotterup Breaks Down After Scottish Open Victory

The former Rutgers Men's Golfer earned his second PGA tour victory, defeating the legendary Rory McIlroy at the Renaissance Club in Scotland.
John Catapano|
Jul 4, 2025; Silvis, Illinois, USA; Chris Gotterup tees off on the 13th hole during the second round of the John Deere Classic golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
Jul 4, 2025; Silvis, Illinois, USA; Chris Gotterup tees off on the 13th hole during the second round of the John Deere Classic golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

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On Sunday, Chris Gotterup won his first Rolex Series tournament, making  Men's Golf history in the process, at the Rennaisance Club in North Berwick, Scotland. Gotterup finished the event two strokes ahead (-15) of all-time great Rory McIlroy (-13) and Marco Penge (-13).

"I just hung in there tight and tried to keep it together here," Gotterup told CBS after his victory. "After my start this week, I really struggled. Then I found somehting 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*t here we go' but I held it together really well. It was so much fun out there."

Born in Easton, MD, Gotterup grew up in Little Silver, NJ. He was named a third-team All-American in 2020, graduating in 2021. His second PGA tournament win comes fourteen months after his first tour victory at the Myrtle Beach Classic in South Carolina.

Rutgers Head Coach Rob Shutte praised his former star student-athlete.

"We are unbelievably proud of Chris. This is a monumental accomplishment and a testament to his hard work, talent, and belief in himself," Shutte said. 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 tied the course record on Friday, shooting a 61. He headed into Saturday 11 under, two shots clear of second place. Gotterup shot a 66 in Round 4 and sealed the victory, sinking the winning putt on the last hole.

"Golf has a new up-and-comer," CBS longtime announcer Jim Nantz told the national broadcast audience. "You may not have recognized the name at the beginning of the week, but you're never going to forget it now."

Gotterup will compete in The Open Championship, held from July 20 to 23, at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland.

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John Catapano
JOHN CATAPANO

John Catapano graduated from Rutgers in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism, covering the women’s field hockey and soccer teams for the campus paper, The Daily Targum. After college, he moved to Los Angeles, got a job at Walt Disney Television, and has worked in media ever since. John currently works with the Wasserman Media Group in their Brooklyn, NY office, collaborating with brands, influencers, and athletes across the globe. When the pandemic struck in 2020 and Catapano began working remotely, he resumed writing by contributing to a Rutgers fan blog. He covered various sports, highlighted human interest stories, and focused on topics that Scarlet Nation wanted to discuss. It’s never easy being a Rutgers fan, but with over 500,000 alumni living worldwide and a passionate fanbase, covering the Scarlet Knights is always engaging.

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