Lochgelly Golf Club looked postcard-perfect on Sunday, bathed in warm sunshine with fairways running firm and greens rolling true. It was the kind of day golfers dream about — conditions ripe for birdies, drama, and a season-defining finish. And it delivered, in spades.

The 2025 Forrester-Lochgelly Open (FLO) closed the EuroDov Tour’s regular season in style, producing a duel for the ages between David McColgan and defending champion Paul Gowens. Both signed for matching 66s, but McColgan edged it on countback with a sharper inward nine, claiming his second FLO title and cementing his reputation as the man to beat.

Yet the day was far from a one-man story. As Lochgelly unfolded, other voices and other stories filled the fairways — of fast starts, missed opportunities, bitter struggles and glimmers of promise.

Gowens: “I kept plodding away”

For Paul Gowens, it was almost the perfect defence. Out in 31, steady on the back nine, and tied for the lead at the close. Only the cruel arithmetic of countback denied him.

“Not really sure what was clicking, I just felt steady throughout,” Gowens shrugged when asked about his blistering front nine. He had, in fact, rolled in an eagle two at the 6th, but characteristically played it down. “I had no idea of the score until the 18th tee. I wasn’t really thinking about defending champion, I just kept plodding away.”

The margins were tiny. A tee shot onto the railway after a wicked bounce; another blocked out at 14. “Maybe those I’d like back,” he admitted. “But Lochgelly suits me. It’s not the longest course, which works when you’re not a big hitter.”

It has already been a quietly impressive year for Gowens — a win at Pitfirrane, another close second here. “Yes, been a good year,” he nodded. “A few wins including a major, close seconds, and being captain too. Considering the previous couple of years, it’s been great.”

Allan: “This confirmed to me my game is back”

While McColgan and Gowens fought out front, Stuart Allan provided the fireworks. Five under through five holes, an eagle at the 1st, and suddenly his name was flashing on the leaderboard.

“I’ve actually struggled with poor starts all year,” Allan admitted, “so my first thought was this is different — a nice change to focus on leading.”

The eagle set the tone, but reality bit on the back nine. “Off the tee I was strong, but my chipping and putting slowed me down. I also started to focus on stopping things going wrong, rather than continuing what was going right. It’s a mindset shift — I haven’t been in that position for a while.”

Two three-putts at 6 and 7 also lingered. “That slowed me down and changed the mindset,” he confessed. Yet the 68, good for third, was cause for optimism. “It confirmed to me that my game is back. Happy with my progression. I want to finish the season with a real positive and set up a game-changing 2026.”

Greenshields: “A very flaccid performance”

Not everyone found Lochgelly generous. For Ally Greenshields, it was a day to endure rather than enjoy.

“Never got going really,” he sighed. “Generally tend to start off these events slowly and find a bit of rhythm toward the end. A very flaccid performance.”

There was humour in his honesty. “I don’t think cautious has ever been used to describe my golf game,” he said when asked if he had been too conservative. “The ill-advised shots were compounded by chasing them with ever more ill-advised shots — a cycle I couldn’t break.”

He found levity, at least, in the small things. “It was sunny and I had a nice walk,” he laughed. Even his attempt at a reset after the turn backfired: “A lucky bounce off a tree on 10 kept me in bounds and I thought my luck was changing… then I went OB on 11 and smashed my fourth shot three holes over. Difficult to recover.”

Looking ahead, Greenshields sees Craigielaw, host of the Tour Champs, as an opportunity. “Usually I’m scrambling to beat relegation,” he said. “This year I look to be safe, so I can relax and aim for a nice high finish.”

Duncan: “Never give up”

For Denis Duncan, the FLO was a tale of two halves: an ugly 43 out followed by a battling 36 in.

“Golf’s a funny old game,” he said with typical candour. “In stroke play you need to start well and I let myself down badly today.” His driving was loose, his putting “horrific” with too many three-putts.

At the turn he admitted he felt “out of it,” chasing only the players directly above. Yet his brother’s mantra echoed: “Never give up.”

From the 10th he found a rhythm, only undone by a four-putt at 15. “Playing with Ally helped,” he smiled. “He was equally bad so I had someone to chase in my group.”

For Duncan, the FLO was another reminder. “Concentrate more on putting, and start well. That’s crucial for the Champs.”

McNeill: “Thanks for that crushing burden”

Few players have been as closely associated with Lochgelly in recent years as Callum McNeill — runner-up in 2024, steadily climbing the placings year on year. This time, however, he faltered, shooting 74.

“From the first hole, when I left a three-foot birdie putt one foot short, I just wasn’t in it,” he confessed. “My accuracy off the tee was poor. It’s hard to hit — and stick — the smaller greens here out of the long stuff.”

Asked whether expectation weighed heavy as Lochgelly’s nearly-man, he offered a wry smile: “It will now. Thanks for that crushing burden.”

He identified his nemeses: “There’s a few holes I never seem to play well — 10, 14, 15, 17. I think 2,3,4 and 14,15,16,17 can win and lose this tournament.”

Still, McNeill defended the course passionately. “One of my favourites on Tour,” he said. “Consistently in great condition given the low green fees.”

As for motivation: “I’d rather be in contention than utterly irrelevant. It was painful watching Den and Ally scrap over second last today — like fighting over the last comb in the shop.”

Looking ahead, McNeill was confident. “If I can keep the ball on the planet off the tee, I’ll be right in amongst it. Lochgelly’s still one I circle every season. Hopefully next year I’ll have a 17 handicap and can bask in a hollow victory,” he grinned.

The Tournament in Their Words

From Gowens’ calm persistence to Allan’s fireworks, from Greenshields’ gallows humour to Duncan’s grit, and McNeill’s sharp wit, the FLO was as much about voices as numbers.

Yes, it was McColgan’s trophy, claimed in dramatic fashion on countback. But the tapestry of the day was woven by all. The FLO remains special not just because it crowns champions, but because it reveals character.

And with Craigielaw looming for the Tour Championship, each of these voices — confident, candid, self-critical, humorous — tells us as much about where the Tour stands as the leaderboard itself.