Defending champ Chris Gotterup brilliantly returns this week’s Genesis Scottish Open as he had left a year ago – a winner.
Gotterup sensationally rallied from a five-shot deficit in the final round by closing with a 9-under 62 to win the John Deere Classic by a shot from Max Homa (64) on the host TPC Deere Run course in Silvis, Illinois.
The victory is Gotterup’s third taste of success this year after capturing January’s Sony Open in Hawaii and then three weeks later sealing success in the WM Waste Management Open in Phoenix, Arizona.
BRILLIANTLY RETURNS TO A ‘WINNER’ AS HE HAD LEFT A YEAR AGO ….
With @ChrisGotterup sensationally posting a closing 6⃣2⃣ to capture #JohnDeereClassic and a third @PGATOUR success this year
Gotterup teeing-up this week’s @ScottishOpen @Renaissancegc as the new @OWGRltd… pic.twitter.com/kUoRQ5PHOB
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) July 6, 2026
The now World No. 6 has now five PGA Tour victories to his four-year pro career and four of them since last July’s Genesis Scottish Open triumph over now double Masters winning Rory McIlroy and fellow Brit Marco Penge, who finished joint runner-up a year ago on the Renaissance course just to the east of Edinburgh.
Gotterup had been ranked World No. 158th teeing-up a year ago in Scotland while Gotterup’s trio of PGA Tour victories this year matches the effort of Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick.
The soon-to-be 27-year-old American was aked after his John Deere triumph to assess the present state of his game.
“Yeah, I think it’s always a work in progress. We’re all crazy, golfers. The bads feel really bad even though they’re not that bad, and the goods feel like you’re unbeatable. Today I obviously had a really good day,” he said.
“This whole year has been really good, if you look at it in a big picture, but I obviously got off to a great start and was grinding it out in the middle of the year, but that’s not unexpected. Yeah, obviously hopefully this kick-starts some other great stuff.
“Yeah, I’d be lying if I said this year wasn’t a massive success. Hopefully I still have some tournaments left, and hopefully keep it going and running into the end of the year.”
Well said, Chris.
