It was like a scene from a golf movie…the unlikely hero of the movie is standing over a putt on the 18th green, a putt that will seal them the win, and BANG out of nowhere they are struck on the head by a stray ball, as they lie there on the green, medics clamouring over them, they begin to drift away…it’s a country road, a soft spring wind in their air and the sun kissing their skin as they arrive in golfing heaven, it’s of course a links course – what else would it be, there’s a gentle breeze, colour on the whin bushes and a tee time reserved just for them…but in 2025 it wasn’t a dream, or even a drift into the afterlife…it was what great the From the Locker Room team and the Tour as we rolled into St Andrews, the Home of Golf.

It is hard not to get excited about the start of the season, it’s even hard not to get excited when you’re blasting Taylor Swift out the speakers at full volume with the windows down and sunglasses on. We’re back…and we’re excited for the season ahead.

The field was welcomed with a firm and fast Eden Course, a change from conditions in recent years, and a welcome change at that. However, as the field teed off there was definitely a stiffening wind, that helped for the first three holes, but just waiting to bite back when the players turned.

It was a well fought event, with 6 of the 12 players holding the lead at some point through the day, but when all was said and done it there was a familiar name holding the trophy on the 18th green, yes David McColgan shot a 3-under par 67 to lift his third St Andrews Open, and the first event of the 2025 Order of Merit – we sat down with him to get his thoughts on the day gone by, and the season that lies ahead.

Welcome David, and congratulations on your win today.

“Thanks guys, great to be here and delighted with the win.”

Let’s run through some figures with you before we get underway, this is your 3rd St Andrews Open in 5 years, this is your 8th regular season event win in 25 appearances and your 29th Tour honour since 2013 – how does that feel?

“Wow, not really sure I was aware of all those stats, so thanks for rolling them out there. It’s great to look back at all those wins, but you’re only really as good as your last round, and that’s what keeps pushing me forward.”

Let’s look at today then – you hit 13 out of 14 fairways, 15 out of 18 greens in regulation and had 29 putts you were 1 for 2 in sand saves and 2 for 2 in up and downs what does that say about your game at this stage in the season?

“I am really happy with those stats, and the truth is if my game is like that throughout the season ahead my objectives for 2025 should be achievable.”

Your opening tee shot of 2025 had a certain degree of familiarity to it, what went through your mind on the first?

“I like your angel on this…familiarity yes, outcome I had hoped for, no! Stuart [Allan] said as I walked off the tee that I must like it over there, next year I would much prefer a second shot that didn’t require me to come over some whin bushes and over the crest of the green.”

You were playing a variety of clubs off the tee today, we saw the Driver, mini-Driver, 2 iron, 4 iron and 5 iron all played on par 4’s and 5’s – what was the rationale for that?

“I think I said this about my final round at the EuroDov Cup, I play my best when I play the course and not when I try to overpower it. I hit two great drives down 2 and three, both of them over 300 yards, but as you get into the guts of the front 9 my mini-driver and 2 iron became much more effective.

With the wind behind me on a few of the back nine holes again playing for position, knowing the run out and distance I was getting didn’t really require a Driver or even mini-driver and it worked well I think.”

You shot four birdies out there today but let’s talk about your bridies on 12 and 13 for very different reasons. 12th hole you hit a 2-iron off the tee and found the fairway bunker, talk us in from there?

“Well, the greenside bunker is 300 yards from the tee but by this time we had a 20 yard wind at our back, I was hoping to lay up with the 2-iron but it just took off and I found myself pin high but in the sand.
The bunker shot was woeful, and that’s me being polite, I barely got it out and left myself a 25-footer.

However, it was a fairly easy putt, it was straight, slightly off the left if anything and just needed to bit hit firmly.”

We saw you and Scott [Gowens] laughing after it fell, what were you saying?

“I turned to him and said I hit a 300 yard 2-iron, 5-yard bunker shot then 25-foot putt, my putt was longer than my wedge – haha!”

Talk us through 13?

“Well, it’s a funny old hole, miles of grass either side of the hole, with very little danger, but with the distance the ball was travelling in the wind I was conscious of the bunkers around 320, so I opted for the Mini Driver and left myself a nice 147 yards in, which was a comfortable 9-iron.

I landed it exactly where I wanted it, on the front edge and watched it release up to the hole, another 15-foot putt later and I was back-to-back bridies and on roll.”

At that point you were at 2-under and what was going through your mind?

“Well, I think there is a moment every player has after the 13th, you’ve stepped on to 14 you are staring at OB right, water left and a very narrow landing spot, then you know you are turning back and thoughts of 17 already start creeping in.

At that point you’ve got to play sensible target golf, and that’s why I pulled the 5-iron knowing it’d leave me a nice number into the green.”

Ok, let’s fast forward to the 17th tee. You were 3-under for your round and 3 in the lead, what’s the play on 17?

“I don’t think anyone knows the play on that hole, it’s just a total mind-bender.”

We watched you pull the headcover off the Driver and we all fully expected you to put it back and grab the 2-iron, and once you stepped off the shot, we were convinced you’d swap it, what was going on?

“17 is a hard enough hole, without a stiffening 3 club wind in your face. It’s 406 to the green and was playing close to 500 today.

I was confident in the Driver, it had been going well for me all day, I just got a bit distracted over the ball and once I settled, I hit it straight down the middle.”

You navigated 17 and 18 and found yourself with the clubhouse lead, it was about 40 minutes until the final group came up the 18th, what do you do to settle the nerves during that wait?

“The truth is you’ve done your bit, if someone else comes up the 18th and takes it all the credit to them because they’ve been chasing that score.

Of course, it doesn’t help when fellow competitors start shouting out fake scores just to get your blood pressure up.”

You’ve won the first event of the season, and much has been made of your absence at the Kings Cup and the Lochgelly-Forrester Open later in the year, was it important for you to get this win early on?

“I’ve had season where the win has taken a while to come, and the pressure definitely builds. However, this season, knowing I won’t be playing two events, staying up in the top 3 is vitally important, sealing the win is nice, but it’s a season long race and the main thing is ensuring the down periods aren’t too disastrous.”

Well, there we have its folks our first Winners’ interview of the 2025 Order of Merit. Make sure you check out EuroDov Reporters Tournament Review as well as Players reactions from the 2025 St Andrews Open.