PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (Reuters) -American Chris Gotterup did think about winning the British Open on Sunday when Scottie Scheffler made a double-bogey in the last round but it did not last long.
Scheffler failed to get out of a bunker on the eighth hole and racked up only his fourth blemish of the tournament while leading by seven shots to give the chasing pack hope.
“I saw it briefly, and then I followed it up with a bogey,” Gotterup said. “So that ended pretty quickly. I really wasn’t too worried about it. Like I said yesterday, I knew Scottie was going to go out there and put a good round together.”
Gotterup, the world number 49, won last week’s Scottish Open before shooting rounds of 72, 65, 68 and 67 at Royal Portrush to finish third.
“I really did everything well, and I was really proud of how I started. I felt like I had a good head on my shoulders all day and really was trying to focus on being present in my round.”
Gotterup, 26, made three birdies on his front nine and two more after the turn, a bogey on the 11th the only blemish in his final round.
He has Danish blood with his grandfather born in that European country.
“I expected to play well, but I don’t think I expected quite this well. I don’t know what’s going on over here, but maybe my European blood in me a little bit has come to life,” he said.
He does not, however, speak the language.
“My dad’s got good Danish. I’ve got zero,” he said. “I’ve been to Denmark, though, I can say that.”
(Reporting by Ed OsmondEditing by Toby Davis)
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