For Paul Gowens, the RyDov Cup has always been personal. As both a player and a leader, his name has been etched into the history of the competition, but 2025 elevated him again. By guiding his side to a commanding 15–9 win over Stuart Allan’s men at Kinross, Gowens cemented his place among the great captains of RyDov folklore.

“This Cup is all about team,” Gowens insisted afterward. “Yes, my name will be on the trophy, but the key word is team. Everybody made great contributions.”

It was his second captaincy, and his second triumph. A 100% record. And while Gowens is quick to downplay personal glory, the decisions he made — the pairings he chose, the data he studied, the way he set the tone — were decisive.
________________________________________

Building the Blueprint

Preparation was meticulous. “There were more than a few meetings pouring over the data,” Gowens explained. “Sturt [Sutherland] was a fantastic vice-captain, Rich and Peck gave input, and the whole team helped shape the order. It was strategy, not instinct.”

That blend of consultation and conviction is a hallmark of his leadership. Gowens listens, but he leads. “We tried to blend styles, personalities, and experience. When you’ve got veterans like Denis Duncan and Stuart Sutherland alongside lads like Morrison and McNeill, you want to strike the right balance.”

The morning singles showed how precarious that balance could be. Team Allan snatched points through McColgan, Ritchie, Greenshields, and Alan Duncan, while Gowens’ men replied with resilience — Peck, Morrison, Sutherland, and Mair keeping blue on the board.

By lunch, the score read 7–5 to Team Gowens. Not a commanding lead, but enough. “I didn’t need to say much at the break,” Gowens said. “The lads were already up for it. I just reminded them it was still close — and with double points in the afternoon, everything was to play for.”
________________________________________

The Afternoon Turnaround

If the morning was about individual grit, the afternoon was where Gowens’ strategy came alive. His Greensomes pairings produced four wins from six, the captain’s fingerprints all over the scoreboard.

“We got blue on the board early, and that was massive,” he recalled. “As a playing captain, it’s hard to follow every match, but hearing news filter through — of points won on 18, even an eagle — you could feel the momentum swing.”

Graeme Connor and Stuart Sutherland dealt with McColgan, who had been forced to play alone. “It’s tough for any man to take on two players in that format,” Gowens acknowledged. “Especially when tee shots decide so much.”

In match two, Gowens himself paired with Richard Mair to beat Brannan and Ritchie 4&3. “Paul is always in play,” Mair said afterwards. Gowens smiled at that: “Rich is the RyDov Cup’s very own postman — he always delivers. Having someone with his record is invaluable.”

Then came Peck and Denis Duncan, grinding out a 2Up win over Allan and young Scott Gowens. “That one was about grit,” the captain noted. “Denis’s experience and Daniel’s fire — they made it count.”

Momentum surged again as McNeill and Morrison sealed a 2&1 win over the Hedges pairing. “Youthful energy, big moments,” Gowens said. “That’s why you put faith in them.”

The red team found sparks through Alan Duncan and Ally Greenshields, and in the anchor tie Kinnear and Miller thrashed Anderson and Robertson. But it was too little, too late. The Cup was already blue.
________________________________________

The Captain as Player

For Gowens, leadership never means retreating from competition. His own singles win over Kevin Brannan, 1Up on the 18th, epitomised his dual role.

“It really could have gone either way,” he admitted. “Kevin played strong golf. But it felt important for me to put a point on the board — to contribute as a player as well as a captain. Then in the afternoon, to win early, get out and support the lads still fighting.”

The win, narrow as it was, symbolised what Gowens’ captaincy is about: calm in the heat of matchplay, resilience under pressure, and the steady hand that turns tight moments into momentum.
________________________________________

Reflecting on Rivals

Even in victory, Gowens was generous toward the opposition. He recognised the extraordinary effort of David McColgan, who played two singles and even a Greensomes alone.

“That’s got to be tough,” Gowens said. “Two wins in the morning, then facing two men by yourself in the afternoon. It’s a huge ask, and he handled it with the class you’d expect.”

On Richard Mair’s ongoing unbeaten streak — now 12 points from four appearances — the captain was emphatic. “Invaluable. To know you can put a man out there and trust him every time. That record speaks for itself.”

And on his vice-captain Sutherland: “A fantastic vice and a fantastic player. Exactly the steady influence every captain needs.”
________________________________________

The Broader Picture

Gowens’ victory was not just about 2025; it was about history. With a 100% record as captain, his name now sits alongside the great leaders of the Cup. And yet he is already looking ahead.

“Yes, I’ll have one more crack at it,” he confirmed. “Then it will pass over. But there’s a small matter of the Carnegie Cup now — captain’s picks, qualification for 2026 and 2027. The work doesn’t stop.”

What does this win mean for the Gowens family legacy in RyDov Cup history? Paul’s answer was typical: understated, team-first. “It’ll be my name on the trophy, but the key word is TEAM. There’s no ‘I’ in team.”
________________________________________
Legacy of Kinross 2025

The final score — Team Gowens 15, Team Allan 9 — suggests a dominant performance. But those who walked the fairways know it was closer, balanced delicately until Gowens’ strategy and his players’ execution turned the afternoon blue.

McColgan’s triple duty, Mair’s perfection, Morrison’s demolition, Greenshields’ rise, Allan’s frustration — these will all be remembered. Yet the story of 2025 is ultimately one of captaincy.

Gowens prepared, he planned, he steadied, and he inspired. He won as a player and as a leader. He listened to voices around him but trusted his instincts at the right time.

And when the Cup was lifted on the Kinross greens, it was not just a captain celebrating a victory. It was a man confirming his place as one of the defining figures in RyDov Cup history.