Now we are into 2025, thoughts begin to turn to the start of the new season in April and whilst the EuroDov Cup, the season opening event and Major, is the first event of the calendar year, for many the St Andrews Open and the start of the Order of Merit is the signal the season is here.

The Order of Merit enters its 5th year in 2025 and has matured and settled into the premier event of the EuroDov Tour calendar. In 2025 16 players will compete to win the James Braid Quaich, the field boasts five Major winners and nine players who have at least one Order of Merit event win to their name and with four prize money spots and two relegation places at play every player needs to be on form to contend.

EuroDov Reporter has taken time to sit down and look at each individual player and assess their prospects ahead of 2025. So, sit back, and enjoy their reviews.

Next up is Paul Gowens.

Well what do we say about Gowens, he’s a three time Order of Merit winner, a Harry Vardon Trophy winner and the winner of the Inchkeith Cup.

In his 3 years on the Order of Merit he’s finished as high as 3rd and as low as 16th – albeit his 16th place finish was played out under a medical exemption. So for the purposes of this report we’re going to ignore his 2023 season.

Gowens burst on the scene in 2022 winning his debut event the MCM @ Aberdour, he then finished 2nd at the Kinghorn Classic before winning the King’s Cup, becoming only the second person ever to win multiple events in the same season.

He recorded two wins, a runner-up finish and two 4th place finishes to finish 3rd overall in the Order of Merit, and left many onlookers pondering what could have been if he had played the first two events of the year.

Fast forward to 2024, Gowens had returned from his medical exemption and opened the season with 3 top 10’s and a top 5 finish, to then snatch a victory at the Lochgelly-Forrester Open. His season ended quietly with an 11th place finish at Craigielaw, but a highly respectable 8th place overall was his.

So, what is in store for 2025?

Well, it feels like anything short of at least 1 tournament win will be a failure, he’s won in every season he’s played on Tour and there is nothing to indicate he can’t continue that.

He’s got a steady game, and will play the St Andrews Open for the first in April, giving him a full compliment of tournaments for the first time.

Gowens has what it takes to win the whole thing, in 2022 he won the Harry Vardon for the best average score in the Order of Merit and that tells you all you need to know.

There is a lot of competition at the top however and I think Paul’s season finds him in the prize spots at the end of the season with a very well earned 4th place finish.