What’s worse than being paired up against Rory McIlroy in the final round of a tournament? The final round being held in Europe. For Chris Gotterup, that unfortunate circumstance inched closer to him as he walked on the course. “There were a lot of cries of ‘Rory’…” he recalled later. The Northern Irishman was fresh off his Master’s win, a completion of his Career Grand Slam. As Gotterup played for his second PGA Tour win, the noise turned sharper. Now months later, he has once again opened up about the crowd’s unwelcoming behavior.

Speaking on SiriusXM’s PGA Tour Radio, Gotterup talked about the “hostile” environment he faced in the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open. “It’s not like the NFL, where you go to a hostile environment very often, but…I think that’s about as close as you can get. Other than maybe if it were in Northern Ireland. Yeah, they love him over there,” he said.

At the Renaissance Club, the young American saw the love for the Northern Irishman firsthand. After Gotterup opened with a bogey, he played the next 11 holes at 5-under. It was par-3 12th, when the pivotal moment arrived. As the crowd chanted their talisman’s name, Gotterup shot a two-foot birdie shot. McIlroy, from a similar range, missed. Gotterup was now at a one-shot lead.

That was the cue for the crowd’s heckling to get intense. Nasty comments were hurled from all sides amidst ongoing rounds.”I hope you choke so Rory can win,” yelled the partisan crowd. As the lines were crossed, McIlroy turned around and told the fans to “shut up,” The Mirror reports. At several points, he and his security guard told hecklers to cut it out.

“I had a great appreciation for him and how he handled it all,” Gotterup shares on SiriusXM. Of course, the world’s number 2 knows how to handle the chaos. You learn how to do it when you are constantly subjected to it. Remember this year’s Ryder Cup?

Eventually, back in Scotland, McIlroy shot some birdies and managed a lead. But he stalled badly on the back nine. His fall opened a wide door for his American rival, who scored a final-round 66. With a 15-under, Chris Gotterup claimed a two-shot victory over McIlroy and another European player, Marco Penge. After the round, McIlroy praised the young American with zero bitterness: “Chris played a great round of golf”.

Despite the support Rory McIlroy extended to Gotterup, the American later revealed he wanted to “stick it up” to Rory. It was perhaps due to the frustration he encountered in the course. Because now months later, Gotterup admits that it was the coolest thing ever to happen to him.

“If you asked me when I was 10, or my dad…he would have been like, ‘Get the hell out of here.’ You go beat Rory in Scotland in a prime time…It just is one of those things that will be forever cool.”

This win eventually launched him into the top 50s of the world (27th), and he ended up earning his first Masters invitation for 2026. He also secured his place in The Open at Royal Portrush. Yes, Rory’s home territory, the very next week. There, too, he was phenomenal, with a solo third finish.

The winner of that tournament, though, had his own share of Rory’s nightmare.

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When Scottie Scheffler faced a ruthless crowd

When Scottie Scheffler arrived at Royal Portrush, he was aware that it was an enemy zone. This was Rory McIlroy’s homecoming. The Northern Irishman had just completed his career Grand Slam, and it was a moment of national pride. Despite arriving as the world No. 1, Scheffler knew the crowd was not there to see him. More than 200,000 fans were desperate to see McIlroy lift the Claret Jug on home soil.

Of course, that led to the inevitable. The hostility soon surfaced. “Rory’s coming to get you,” someone shouted.

McIlroy, on the other hand, fed the energy as he shot three birdies on Saturday, on the first four holes. Even when Scheffler dominated, the crowd’s cheers for Rory became louder. The American continued with a second round of 64, zero bogeys on Saturday, and three early birdies on Sunday. Slowly, the air from the crowd got sucked, as Scheffler won with a 17-under par. McIlroy was tied for 7th with a 10-under.

Once the calm prevailed, Scheffler opened up about the crowd’s behaviour he experienced, weeks later, in August. “I heard some fairly choice words when I was leading the tournament in Ireland. I can think of a few things that were said to me in the final round in Ireland that were very far over the line.”

All this paints a clear picture. It doesn’t matter if you are the world’s best player or a youngster aiming for a spectacular win. If you’re placed against Rory McIlroy in Europe, the crowd’s going to be ruthless.