The sense of anticipation is palpable as the EuroDov Tour heads up the A91 towards the Home of Golf. The chatter in the car turns from “there’s Kinross…wonder what the RyDov CUpw ill be like this year,” to “Auchtermuchty…is that not where the Proclaimers are from?”

But as the Eden estuary comes into sight and the rolling fields give way to the familiar links land that the Home of Golf is built on the car goes quiet and the anticipation builds.

EuroDov Reporter arrived at the Eden Course and the St Andrews Links Golf Academy it was evident that 2023 was going to be a different kind of season. Most, if not all, the field were in the facilities warming up and getting ready to attack the first tournament of the year, the St Andrews Open.

McColgan arrived as the back-to-back champion and the Champion Golfer of the Year, and in traditional fashion he led out the 14 man field on the first tee.

The field comprised of 5 Order of Merit Tour winners, and 3 Major winning players. At the other end of the spectrum 3 OoM rookies, Alan Duncan, Ally Greenshields and Stuart Harwood prepared for their first taste of competition.

McColgan led out the field opting for a Driver, over his 2-iron which ended up in the left hand rough in 2022. No doubts in 2023 however as McColgan split the fairway and sent his driver down the throat of the green to 4 feet short.

Ally Greenshields and Stuart Harwood, had the rookie honour of playing in the leading group at the St Andrews Open, and with all 14 players looking on sent their drives down 1 finding the right edge rough, but very much in play.

The 2023 season was underway.

The opening hole is a straightaway 298 yard par 4, but it’s tricky green and intimidating tee shot make it a daunting first hole. In the leading group McColgan converted his tee shot in to a birdie, in the group behind Robertson, Brannan and Duncan all carded a birdie and in the third group Love carded a birdie, the last of the day on the hole.

The second hole, down-wind, into a tricky raised green saw Duncan give his shot back, but Greenshields picked up a stroke after a drop on the first. But Love was clearly in the mood carding back-to-back birdies to start his season, and take the lead.

Greenshields gave his shot back straightaway on 3 after a poor tee shot, but Duncan took his stroke back with a birdie. Pars from McColgan and Love meant Love held the lead by one over Duncan and McColgan.

The short par 4 4th is always seen as a chance to pull back points but with the estuary lapping against the course and the raised green ready to kick any shot away it is an imposing proposition. Duncan, Greenshields and McColgan all carded pars but Love drop back in to a 3-way lead with a bogey.

The first par-3 on the course is definitely a birdie opportunity and Duncan and Love dually took the chance to move one out on the lead over McColgan.

The wide open, par 4, 6th set the tournament a light. McColgan and Duncan carded pars, Love a birdie, but the hole belonged to Greenshields with an eagle 2. Love remained in the lead at 3-under, Duncan on 2-under and McColgan was now joined by Greenshields on 1-under.

The second half of the front 9 was a quiet one for Duncan, Greenshields and McColgan. The group chasing Love carded two Eagles (Greenshields & Duncan) and a birdie (Greenshields) and 10 pars. But the story was very much in group 3 and Andy Love.

After a birdie on the par 3 5th hole Love ran off 5 consecutive birdies to close out the front 9 with a score of 29, 6-under par. The top of the leaderboard had Love at 6-under, Duncan 4-under, Greenshields 2-under and McColgan 1-under.

Love wasn’t finished with his birdie run adding birdies at 10 and 11 to open his back 9 and take his score to 8-under par. Greenshields carded an eagle and McColgan a birdie on 10. That pushed Greenshields in a tie for 2nd and McColgan 2 back in 3rd.

The leaders would race through the first half of the back 9 dropping and picking up shots in equal measure. As the players walked off the 15th tee the leaderboard had Love 9-under, Duncan 5-under, Greenshields 2-under and McColgan 1-under.

The par 5 16th is a long, slightly up hill hole leading back to the town of St Andrews. Playing in to at least a one club wind it was a long effort. In the lead group McColgan managed a birdie and Greenshields, and Duncan carded impressive pars.

At this stage Duncan was on 5-under, Greenshields 2-under and McColgan on 2-under.

In the group behind Love started the hole 4 shots in the lead. By the time he holed out for a triple bogey his lead had been reduced to 1 shot, walking on to the fateful 17th.

In front of him Duncan had just holed out for a par to remain on 5-under and Greenshields had birdied to climb to 3-under ahead of McColgan.

Love, shaken after the triple bogey, had to navigate the 17th hole, the burial ground of so many St Andrews Open hopefuls. In 2021 Denis Duncan squandered a lead after a 12 on the hole, and Barry Cunningham in 2022 walked on to the hole 1 shot off the leader only to take a 12 and blow his chances of lifting silverware.

Lightening doesn’t strike thrice…does it?

By the time Love had navigated the hole he’d find himself 4 shots behind the leader slipping from 1st to 4th on the leaderboard.

Up ahead on the 18th green Greenshields finished with a birdie 3, matched by McColgan. That put Greenshields on 4-under par, 1 shot ahead of McColgan, but what would Duncan do in the cooling afternoon and bracing wind.

Duncan – unawares of what was unfolding behind him – navigated the final hole with a par, giving him a one shot lead over Greenshields and the clubhouse lead at 5-under.

After leaking 8 shots in 2 holes Love played the final hole in bogey finishing the round level par and in 4th place.

Outside of the top 4 there were good showings from Allan who finished 5th, Peck and Denis Duncan T6th. A surprise 11th place finish for major winner Brannan – something he can be forgiven after his first Major win just a week ago, but a position he’ll likely be unhappy with.

The 2023 St Andrews Open was an exciting undertaken, the largest field ever, but with the air of newness around it, it felt like an old story we’d all heard before, with Andy Love having to endure the role of lead protagonist.

The Tour takes a couple of weeks off before heading to the links of Kinghorn for the Kinghorn Classic, where David McColgan will hope his second defense of 2023 turns out better than today.

But St Andrews, and the Home of Golf, belongs to Alan Duncan in 2023. Turning his disappointing EuroDov Cup campaign in Portugal into a distant memory with silverware and points to send him on his way in to the 2023 season.

The EuroDov Tour and Order of Merit returns on April 30th at the Kinghorn Classic, stay tuned for more insight and analysis from the Tour.