$49 Million Golfer Withdraws Days Before The Open originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Chris Gotterup claimed a breakthrough victory at the Genesis Scottish Open on Sunday, firing a composed final‑round 66 at The Renaissance Club to finish 15‑under and edge out Rory McIlroy and Marco Penge by two strokes.
That win not only marked the 25‑year‑old American’s second PGA Tour title of his career but also secured his spot in next week’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
But just as anticipation peaks for the season’s final major, unfortunate news has surfaced. In a surprising turn of events, four‑time Major champion Ernie Els, a veteran with $49 million in career earnings, has withdrawn from the event days before teeing off at Royal Portrush.
Els, the “Big Easy,” and a two‑time Open winner in 2002 and 2012, announced his withdrawal Sunday, with South Korea’s Si Woo Kim, the first player on the alternate list from last week’s Official World Golf Ranking, set to take his place.
The R&A has not provided an official reason for Els’s decision to bypass the 153rd Open.
In lieu of a stated explanation, it’s worth reflecting on Els’s recent form and storied career. The 55‑year‑old South African clinched his most recent professional victory in January 2025, at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai on the PGA Tour Champions, marking his seventh senior‑tour win.
Si Woo Kim replaces Ernie Els (WD) in the field for The Open.
— Underdog Golf (@UnderdogGolf) July 13, 2025
Over the course of his career, Els has amassed 79 professional victories worldwide, including four majors—two U.S. Opens (1994, 1997) as well.
By contrast, the replacement entrant, 30‑year‑old Si Woo Kim, arrives at Royal Portrush from a tie at the 34th spot at the Scottish Open. Kim will look to add a memorable chapter to his Open Championship résumé as he steps into Els’s vacated spot.
Related: Rory McIlroy and Wife Erica Stoll Move Past Divorce With Recent Development
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
Read the full article here
