Scottish Open: Rory McIlroy denied second title as Chris Gotterup clinches shock win to guide Royal Portrush spot | Golf Information

Rory McIlroy was denied a second Genesis Scottish Open title by an impressed Chris Gotterup within the remaining spherical on the Renaissance Membership, dropping out to the American by two strokes.

Tied for the lead in a single day at 11 below, McIlroy edged clear with back-to-back birdies at 4 and 5, however Gotterup – after a gap bogey – stored tempo with birdies at three, seven and eight – the final of which, alongside one too for McIlroy, pushed the pair two away from the chasing pack.

McIlroy’s title push then stalled with a stretch of 10-straight pars to shut out his spherical, whereas Gotterup seized the initiative and nudged two forward with additional strokes gained at 10 and 12.

A bogey at 15 threatened a late wobble from the world No 158, just for him to reply with a birdie on the par-five subsequent as he closed out a shocking victory, whereas McIlroy completed tied-second with Marco Penge.

English hopefuls Penge and Matt Fitzpatrick each briefly held shares of the lead however in the end could not preserve tempo with the charging Gotterup down the again 9, whereas countryman Justin Rose carded the spherical of the day, his seven-under 63 taking him to 11 below and a sixth-placed end.

Nicolai Højgaard, together with Gotterup, earned one of many remaining spots for subsequent week’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush with a closing 64 that secured him a share of fourth, alongside Fitzpatrick, at 12 below.

Rounding off the highest 10, Sepp Straka completed seventh on 10 below, whereas Ryder Cup team-mate from Rome two years in the past, Ludvig Åberg, carded two eagles in a combined remaining spherical of 68.

The Swede completed tied-eighth at 9 below alongside defending Open champion Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler, whose putter continued to abandon him in his remaining spherical of 67 that promised extra.

Viktor Hovland double-bogeyed the seventeenth to drop out of the highest 10 and right into a tie for eleventh on eight below with Wyndham Clark who, within the remaining grouping alongside Gotterup and McIlroy, returned a disappointing one-over 71.

What’s subsequent?

Sky Sports activities is as soon as once more the unique house of The Open, with reside protection from all seven days of event week from July 14-20 and round the clock protection of the ultimate males’s main of the yr.

There are seven hours of reside protection on the Monday and Tuesday follow days at Royal Portrush earlier than a bumper 9 hours of reside programming on Wednesday, beginning at 9am every morning.

Wall-to-wall protection of The Open then begins at 6.30am on Thursday July 17 on Sky Sports activities Golf, with reside motion accessible for all 4 event days and a number of additional feeds additionally accessible on Sky Sports activities+. Not received Sky? Stream The Open and extra with no contract.