Unknown no more: Chris Gotterup heads into 3M Open after fame across the pond

PGA Tour player Chris Gotterup left for Scotland three weeks ago a complete unknown, the 158th ranked golfer in the world.

He returns this week to Blaine and the 3M Open golf’s cool new story after he outdueled Rory McIlroy on Sunday at the Scottish Open one week and finished third in the British Open the next. He’s now ranked 27th in the world.

So how did the New Jersey-raised Gotterup, who turned 26 on Sunday, end up in a 3M Open field that has three of top six finishers last week from Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland?

In Gotterup’s case, he considers it a debt owed after 3M Open officials offered him a sponsor’s exemption out of Oklahoma, where he won the 2022 Haskins Award given to the nation’s outstanding college golfer.

“The 3M gave me a spot a couple years ago when I came out of school and I felt like I kind of owe a little something back to them,” Gotterup said Wednesday at TPC Twin Cities. “I was planning on playing, but that definitely helped.“

Gotterup finished third in the British Open, behind winner Scottie Scheffler and Harris English, ahead of 3M Open bound Li Haotong and Wyndham Clark, each tied for fourth. He beat McIlroy and Marco Penge by two shots each at the Scottish Open the week before.

“I’m trying to ride the hot hand, obviously,” said Gotterup, who also has a 2024 PGA Tour win in Myrtle Beach. “So right now, that’s the goal.”

Gotterup’s tournament preparation ended early Wednesday afternoon, along with everybody else’s, when drenching rains closed the TPC Twin Cities course the rest of the day.

He called the stoppage “honestly, probably a blessing in disguise with this weather for me to just take another day to relax and get ready for this week.”

Gotterup called his Scottish victory and British Open finish an “amazing last couple weeks” that has moved him significantly up in the FedExCup (23rd) and Ryder Cup (22nd) points race.

He was asked Wednesday if his last two weeks feel real yet.

“The answer is no, it definitely hasn’t fully hit what happened, which is probably a good thing honestly,” said Gotterup, who started his college career at Rutgers. “I was talking to my parents and I’m kind of like happy you guys weren’t there for the Scottish. I didn’t have time to celebrate or anything. I’ve just kind of been going right into these last couple weeks.

English played alongside Gotterup on Sunday at Royal Portrush.

“He can flight it, he can smash it,” English told reporters afterward. “I’ve played in nine or 10 of these and finished 14th and for him to finish third in his first one is pretty incredible. Got a heck of a game and I know the best is in front of him. I don’t know why it took him so long to play well out here.”

Gotterup playfully credited his parents’ Danish blood for his success overseas.

“I’ll take whatever happened over there, I’ll take whatever I can get,” he said. “Hopefully there’s some Danish-European connection here in Minnesota, too. You get people from all parts that I feel connected to. It’s just a cool part of my family.”

There might be a connection, but they’re strangers. Gotterup heard from fast friends he barely new in just one week overseas.