The EuroDov Tour witnessed a thrilling conclusion at the Burntisland Golf House Club this past Sunday, as Kevin Brannan emerged victorious at the 2025 Dodhead Invitational. In a tournament defined by its notoriously small winner's circle, previously etched with only two names, Stuart Allan and David McColgan, Brannan added his own to the trophy after a dramatic finish.

The day was a true test of skill and resilience, with conditions at Burntisland proving to be anything but benign. While the course itself was in impeccable shape – fairways perfect, rough punishingly tight, and greens rolling "like a dream" – the weather provided the ultimate challenge. Players faced a constant 1 to 2 club wind and intense downpours rolling across the course at regular 15-minute intervals, making everything from shot selection to clothing a dilemma. As Brannan himself noted, in such conditions, "There's isn't much you can do... except grit your teeth and try to keep all your equipment and yourself as dry as possible". He added that "Everyone is in the same predicament and it's usually who can deal with it the best that comes through".

For Brannan, this victory marks a significant return to the winner's circle, his first individual competition win since the 2023 Invitational. It's been "a little while since we sat down together for a winners interview,"

Brannan admitted, adding "probably too long”. Being reminded the day before the event that it had been two years since his last win "spurred me on and gave me some extra determination".

His path to victory this season has also been one of overcoming adversity. After missing half of last season due to a broken wrist, Brannan took the entire winter off to ensure a full recovery. Returning to the Tour, he initially felt his game was "lacking touch and finesse" but has been diligently working on it, and now feels it's returning. His recent performances, including a 9th and 6th place finish in earlier Order of Merit events, hinted that a win was on the horizon.

Brannan definitely felt his hard work was starting to show on the scorecard. His mindset focuses on playing against the course, acknowledging that "the other guys are all capable of putting in great rounds and there isn't much you can do" about that. Today, he felt things went his way – he "kept the ball in play, missed in the right places and putted quite well".

This win is particularly notable as it's Brannan's first Order of Merit regular season win and his first victory over 18 holes on Tour, despite having nine previous top 5 finishes. The immediate impact of this victory is significant: it secures his place in the Order of Merit for next season, eliminating the threat of relegation. This newfound security allows him to be "more aggressive going into the events in the second half of the year and not worry about protecting points or places on the leaderboard".

Looking back at the round, Brannan started steadily despite the challenging weather. While other players like Denis Duncan and Stuart Allan took early leads and faced fluctuating fortunes, Brannan navigated the initial holes effectively. Holes 9 and 10, known to be tricky, were played "well enough," avoiding the easily found danger. He then made a significant move. After being one shot off the lead through nine holes, where David McColgan took the solo lead after Daniel Peck's triple bogey, Brannan "ran off birdies on 11 and 12".

The 11th hole, a par 4, played under par on average. McColgan famously birdied it after threading a 6-iron through the trees but Brannan's birdie on 11 came after he "holed a clutch chip from off the green" that McColgan described as “inch perfect and requiring nerves of steel”.

Hole 12 was a "tough" par 5 playing into the wind. Brannan's strong play through this stretch, particularly on holes he knows well as a former member at Burntisland Golf House Club, positioned him well for the final stretch.

Brannan's only "hiccup" on the back nine was a bogey on the 15th hole. This was particularly frustrating as he described it as a "mistake on one of the easiest holes on the course". He got "too cute" with a shot, found a bunker lip, and missed a 10ft par putt. Despite this, he knew he was "playing well" and the tough conditions meant he was still "in contention".

The drama intensified over the closing holes. As Brannan and McColgan, playing in the same group, reached the 17th, there was a discussion about the leaderboard. McColgan "couldn't hold it in any longer" and shared that both of them were "in with a chance" to catch the clubhouse leader, Stuart Allan, who finished at 1-under par. Brannan knew he needed to focus on "not letting any mistakes creep into the game".

On the par 3 17th, the wind was a factor. McColgan's wedge was caught by the wind and dropped short.

Brannan, after some indecision, changed clubs on the tee. Originally planning to hit his 120-yard club, he saw McColgan's shot stopped by a switched wind and opted to go up a club. He successfully held the shot against the right-to-left wind, landing on the green and letting it roll back for a birdie putt. With McColgan dropping a deft wedge close for a certain par, Brannan knew what he needed. He confidently dispatched his birdie putt to tie for the clubhouse lead with one hole remaining.

The par 4 18th hole set the stage for the final act, reminiscent of their 2022 EuroDov Cup showdown.

Brannan's drive found the trees on the right side of the fairway, he was initially disappointed, but found he was at the "end of the trees" with a "clear sight of the green". Faced with trees around him, Brannan opted for a "punch shot" that ran across the fairway and found the front edge of the green, 12 feet from the pin. He described it as an "amazing shot, amazing nerve".

Brannan's win propels him to 7th in the Order of Merit standings, with McColgan leading at 4,150 points. For Brannan, the focus now shifts from worrying about points accumulation to "looking forward to heading out in the remaining events and enjoying them as much as I can". Hopefully, he added, "the weather at the remaining events is kinder than today".

The EuroDov Tour season continues to heat up, and with Kevin Brannan back in winning form and free from the pressure of relegation, he's undoubtedly a player to watch in the events to come.