The players were back at it again in the Order of Merit this month at the Dodhead Invitational. Burntisland House Golf Club was host and the conditions were perfect for another exciting day of golf.

As the day played out it was three horse race between Stuart Allan, Denis Duncan and Stuart Sutherland with the lead changing hands several times throughout the day. However, It was Allan who prevailed coming down the 18th with a three shot lead, he saw the day out with a six under par 63 and a two shot lead over Denis Duncan.

We had the chance to catch-up with Allan after his win and he said, “I can’t lie, I’m actually super chuffed to win. I haven’t played in any medals before due to other commitments, so this is my first ever official scoring win. It’s obviously part of a bigger comp across the season but it does feel great to get a win.”

Allan entered the tournament as the bookies favourite and raced off to a great start carding two under par through 4, in a stretch that included a wayward tee shot on two that was 10 yards from out of bounds. A birdie putt on 4 travelled the whole length of the green before dropping dead centre for a nett eagle. He would finish the front nine off with 2 birdies and an eagle to reach the turn five under par.

Allan said, “My back 9’s are almost always stronger so I knew after posting +4 gross for the front 9 that I had a chance. Not gifting shots off the tee is key for me so I concentrated on calculated risk. I lost my only ball of the round with my 2nd shot into 18!!”

The second shot into 18 had the galleries groaning and wondering if they were about to witness the same drama that be felled Duncan at the St Andrews Open, but Allan calmly dispatched his fourth shot to the green and two putted to seal the win.

Allan has entered the season as the favourite of both the bookies and the field. He said, “I haven’t given any notice to the favourite tag - I know with the handicap system that the field has the opportunity to win any of the rounds and there will be movement in the leaderboard right up to and including Craigielaw.”

However the weight of expectation must be real and the win today has to have helped him push on and win the Order of Merit, Allan said, “after the first couple of rounds I have given myself a solid base on which to build, that is all,” he is guarded against talk of winning the whole thing pointing out, “it’s far too early in the calendar to make any snap judgements and a lot of golf, on a variety of courses and conditions to come.”

Allan leads the Order of Merit on 1700 points with Denise Duncan only 100 behind after two second place finishes. Allan reflects, “Denis is a consistent player and hit a great round at Burntisland. He has started well and will be confident heading to Mearns Castle. However, the field is full of potential winners and a lot of golf to be played. At this stage nobody is out of contention with all still to play for.”

Allan’s six under par was nothing short of a full-on assault of the Dodhead course, one that the rest of the field couldn’t keep apace with. There will undoubtedly be handicap ramifications for Allan, as well as Duncan and Sutherland (who also posted round in the red), and they may impact his chances for the Mearns Castle Memorial in May. Allan wouldn’t be drawn into discussion on what may or may not happen in that regards but signed off our chat by simply saying, “I’m looking forward to it!!”