There are days in golf when everything clicks—the swing is fluid, the putts drop with conviction, and the course yields to the calm mind of a seasoned player. Alan Duncan had two of those days at the EuroDov Tour’s Senior Championship, held over 36 challenging holes across the historic Kinross Golf Courses in Scotland. In a field defined by experience and grit, Duncan separated himself early and never looked back, capturing the title with a wire-to-wire victory that showcased uncharacteristic precision and mental fortitude.

With rounds of 68 on The Bruce Course and 72 on the Montgomery Course layout, Duncan posted a two-round total of 140—comfortably besting rivals Paul Gowens (152) and Stephen Hedges (169) in a tournament that demanded consistency, course management, and nerves of steel.

Let’s relive the battle across the rolling Scottish fairways and examine how each player’s journey unfolded across the twin tests of Kinross.

The Setting: Kinross Golf Courses

The Senior Championship unfolded across two distinct and contrasting 18-hole courses.

The Bruce Course, used for Round 1, offers a balanced test of shot-making with undulating greens and strategic bunkering. It rewards patience and punishes over-aggression—perfect for separating contenders from pretenders early in the event.

The Montgomery Cup Course, deployed for Round 2, is the longer and more rugged of the two layouts. Designed to evoke the spirit of traditional Scottish golf, it features elevated tee boxes, punishing rough, and green complexes that dare players to gamble.

With championship pins tucked just close enough to tempt aggression but far enough to expose nerves, Kinross provided an exacting but fair canvas on which the tournament unfolded.

Round 1 – The Bruce Course: A Clinical Opening by Duncan

If there were any doubts about who was ready to seize control, Alan Duncan put them to rest by the fourth hole. After opening with a solid par-par-birdie stretch, Duncan faced The Bruce’s tricky par-5 fourth—a hole that broke many scorecards during the day. Calmly, he posted a par 5 while both Paul Gowens and Stephen Hedges leaked shots with bogey and double-bogey respectively.

Duncan’s Front Nine: 37 strokes
Highlights included a deft birdie on the short par-3 3rd and clean two-putt pars on the long 6th and 8th. The lone blemish was a double bogey on the par-5 5th, but it barely slowed him.

The Back Nine: 31 strokes
Duncan caught fire after the turn. He rattled off three birdies and carded six pars to close with a sizzling 31 on the inward nine.

“I just found a rhythm on the back. The greens rolled true, and I trusted my lines,” said Duncan after the round.

He signed for a 68—a statement score on a day when par was golden.

Meanwhile, Paul Gowens struggled with consistency. An opening stretch of bogey-bogey-birdie showed promise but also rare volatility. By the turn, Gowens had dropped key shots on the 4th and 8th, where a wayward drive and a chunked chip left him scrambling.

Gowens’ Round 1 total: 77

Despite an impressive birdie on the tough par-4 11th, Gowens couldn’t regain ground lost on the front nine. His touch around the greens faltered under pressure, but his competitive fire remained evident.

Stephen Hedges endured a grinding day.

With a double-bogey at the 4th and a triple at the par-3 6th, Hedges never settled into a rhythm. His swing looked rusty after a near 9 month lay off, and his putter went cold when he needed it most. A birdie at 9 hinted at a resurgence, but the back nine proved just as punishing.

Hedges’ Round 1 total: 87

By day’s end, Duncan led Gowens by 9 shots and Hedges by 19—a gap that would prove insurmountable.

Player Profile: Alan Duncan – The Technician

Alan Duncan has never relied on brute strength. His game is one of angles, tempo, and decision-making. A lifelong enthusiast of the game, Duncan has sharpened his skills the EuroDov Tour since 2023 and joined the inaugural field for this years Senior Championship.

Duncan has won 1 event in his 3 years on the EuroDov Tour, and what a win it was, a course record and the win at the St Andrews Open in 2023. HI game is characterised by boom and bust moments in round, but he’s a really competitor who doesn’t give up until the final put drops.

Round 2 – The Montgomery Cup Course: Holding the Lead

If Round 1 was a masterclass in offense, Round 2 was a lesson in control. Duncan teed up at the Montgomery with a comfortable lead but was careful not to invite complacency. The Montgomery, with its longer carries demanded respect.

Duncan’s Round 2: 72

The round began with a steady run of pars, and by the turn, Duncan was even par. He birdied the long par-3 13th but bogeyed the 12th and 15th with slight misses off the tee.

Still, every time he faced adversity, Duncan responded with resilience. His up-and-down at the 16th—getting up from the thick fescue and holing a 10-footer—was met with applause from a modest but passionate gallery.

Player Profile: Paul Gowens – The Fighter

Paul Gowens is a grinder, and a successful one at that, he’s been on Tour since 2022 and in that time amassed 11 wins, including his maiden Major in the 2025 Invitational Tournament. He is a player the is the epitome of consistency polished favouring accuracy over distance, and there can be no denying his competitive fire burns bright.

Round 2: 75

Paul opened with a birdie at the 1st and played the front nine in 37, but the back nine saw a mix of birdies and bogeys. A double bogey on the par-4 15th—after pushing his drive into heavy rough—proved costly.
Yet Gowens never gave up. His final hole birdie, a perfectly judged 7-iron to six feet, summed up his spirit.

“I knew Alan was running away with it, but I wasn’t going to coast. That’s not who I am,” Gowens said afterward.

Player Profile: Stephen Hedges – The Optimist

Stephen Hedges may have finished third, but his journey was about more than numbers. A Tour player since 2016, Hedges makes an annual appearance at the Tour’s RyDov Cup. He’s a steady and methodical player, who enjoys the game for the camaraderie and fun that comes with competing on Tour. He was the winner of the 2016 Bruce Shield, his sole win on Tour, but better known for the ‘shots heard around the world’ when in 2023 he clawed back a 3 hole deficit with 4 to go to win the RyDov Cup for his team.

His Round 1 score of 87 left him out of contention, but his attitude never soured.

Round 2: 82

Despite an 8 on the par-5 5th and a double on the 2nd, Hedges fought to the end. Birdies at 14 and 13 were highlights, and a remarkable 20-foot par save on 10 drew cheers.

“It’s not about the trophy—well, okay, a little,” he joked with reporters. “But I’ll be back next year swinging.”
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The Final Tally
Player Round 1 Round 2 Total
Alan Duncan 68 72 140
Paul Gowens 77 75 152
Stephen Hedges 87 82 169
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Legacy at Kinross

Alan Duncan’s 140 will be remembered not only as a winning number but as a benchmark of poise and precision. His victory was not born of flashy moments, but of unwavering execution. In a championship that honored the spirit of senior golf—competitive, respectful, and deeply passionate—Duncan rose as a fitting champion.

The EuroDov Tour’s Senior Championship proved that age is no barrier to excellence. Kinross delivered a worthy challenge, and the players delivered moments of brilliance and resolve.

As the sun set over the Perthshire hills, Alan Duncan stood atop the podium—not just as a winner, but as a model of mastery over the mental and physical nuances of the game. And with that, another storied chapter was added to the annals of the EuroDov Tour.