As the players arrived to warm and balmy conditions at Canmore Golf Club, the EuroDov Tour delivered another unforgettable chapter in its storied 2025 season. The King’s Cup, the fifth event of the 2025 Order of Merit, brought a field of seasoned campaigners and rising challengers to the deceptively demanding Canmore Golf Club — and what unfolded was a classic of calculation, composure, and brotherly competition.

In the end, it was Alan Duncan, the elder statesman of the Duncan duo, who stood tallest. With a gritty round of 66, Duncan claimed the title on a count-back over his younger brother Denis — a fittingly dramatic finish that capped a day of wild swings and swirling momentum. For Alan, the win marked his third of the month, following dominant performances at the Senior Championship and the Bruce Shield. This one, however, may have meant the most.
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A Battlefield of Familiar Faces

The King’s Cup brought together a field thick with storylines. Defending champion Stephen Orr returned, seeking to reassert his dominance after a quiet start to the season. Paul and Scott Gowens, father and son, were both in the field, each eager to push their family legacy up the leaderboard. Kevin Brannan and David McColgan — Order of Merit regulars and perennial podium threats — eyed the title hungrily, knowing a win here help their assault for the season-long crown.

The early holes at Canmore offered scoring chances, but also plenty of subtle traps. The par-4 1st — reachable in with a well-shaped drive — lured several players into early aggression. Alan Duncan opened his round with quiet intent: a tidy par on the 1st, followed by back-to-back birdies on holes 2 and 3. He wasn't alone in his fast start. McColgan matched him shot for shot through three holes, and Brannan added birdies of his own at 2 and 5.

Meanwhile, Denis Duncan opened shakily. A double-bogey 6 at the par-4 1st was a harsh welcome, but it belied what would become a thrilling and determined comeback. Spectacular back to back eagles on 5 and 6 steadied the ship, and by the time he walked off the 9th green, Denis had posted a 2-under 32 on the front nine.

Kevin Brannan, always composed and rarely flashy, turned in one of the front nine’s cleanest performances. With seven pars and a birdie at the 2nd, he made the turn at level par — right in the thick of the chase.
Others weren't so lucky. Stephen Orr’s title defense faltered early with a string of bogeys on 3, 6, and 9, and a disastrous triple bogey at the 15th would later seal his fate. Stuart Sutherland, after a promising birdie at the 5th, ran into ruin at the par-5 6th — walking off with a soul-crushing 11 that effectively ended his day.
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Amen Corner at Canmore: Holes 10–13 Take Their Toll

If the front nine was a warm-up act, holes 10 through 13 at Canmore — known by regulars as Canmore’s Amen Corner — were the crucible. This devilish quartet is as punishing as it is picturesque, and on the back nine on Sunday, it played true to reputation.

Hole 10, a modest par-4 with a steep sloping fairway, should offer relief. Yet under pressure, it often becomes a turning point. Alan Duncan, steady as ever, made a textbook par. McColgan faltered, carding a bogey after his 78-yard approach took a wicked bounce through the green. Denis Duncan, by now surging with confidence, made a clinical up-and-down to save par and keep momentum alive.

The 11th — a short par-4 that rewards a precise tee shot — turned into a disaster for several. Brannan and McColgan both dropped shots, the latter finding tree trouble off the tee.

Hole 12, the first of two par-3s in the stretch, is terror. At 194 yards from the back tees, it demands precision over bravado. Stephen Orr flew the green and couldn’t get up and down, carding a costly 5. Alan Duncan struck a crisp wood to claim a well-earned par. His brother matched him, both men surviving the toughest hole on the course unscathed.

And then came the 13th — a par-3 that plays longer than the card suggests. The wind had picked up by early afternoon, swirling indecisively. McColgan undercooked his tee shot right, and made a scrambling bogey. Brannan, desperately needing birdies hit a poor tee shot that left him scrambling from the get go, eventually settling for bogey.

Yet again, it was the Duncan brothers who held firm. Alan’s tee shot landed softly on the front edge, while Denis fired a dart just short of the green. He converted for par — a moment that brought him into a tie for the lead with his brother Alan.

It was Amen Corner that made the King’s Cup a two-horse race. The Gowens pair, McColgan, Brannan, and defending champ Orr all dropped shots here. Only the Duncan's emerged stronger on the other side.
Closing the Deal: The Final Five Holes

Coming out of Amen Corner, the leaderboard was a tightly packed knot. Alan Duncan, Denis Duncan, and Kevin Brannan were locked in a three-way battle at the top, with McColgan and Peck just a couple of strokes back and still in touch.

The 14th, a tricky downhill par-4 with a crowned green, proved pivotal. Brannan, needing to gain ground, could only manage par. Alan Duncan, methodical and surgical all day, found the back fringe but lagged beautifully to tap in for par. Denis kept pace with a two-putt par of his own.

At 15, the shortest par-3 on the course, Denis missed the green long and couldn’t save par. Alan, from the front edge, made his third straight par — not flashy, but effective. With three holes remaining, he had nudged a stroke ahead.

16 brought more tension. Denis made a strong birdie bid from 12 feet but settled for par. Alan, facing a 5-footer for par after a slippery downhill chip, drained it to protect his slender lead.

Then came 17, where fortunes often change. Kevin Brannan made one last surge, chipping from just off the green to inches from the hole and taking a tap in birdie. McColgan, stuck in neutral through the back nine, finally birdied to reach 1-over. Alan Duncan’s tee shot flirted with trouble, but his short game again rescued par. Denis hit a fantastic hybrid into the green and walked away with a par, meaning an eagle on 18 was needed to claim the win.

At 18, the finishing hole, players were greeted by a slight right-to-left wind. Denis, knowing he needed a birdie to have any chance, played aggressively and gave himself an outside chance — but the putt pulled up just inches short and right of the hole. Alan in the group ahead played it safe and carded a par to finish at 66.
McColgan came up 18, with nothing really to play for – except Order of Merit points – wowed the crowd with a perfectly drilled pitching wedge that hopped and struck the pin from 87 yards, before tidying up for a par.
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Countback and Coronation: Alan Edges Denis

When the final cards were tallied, both Alan and Denis Duncan stood at 66 strokes, one under par. But a close examination revealed the difference: Alan’s back nine 31 edged Denis’s 33 — and with that, the title went to the elder brother.

Alan’s card told the story of steady excellence: just one bogey, five birdies, and crucially, a perfect score through Amen Corner and a flawless finish. For Denis, it was a heroic recovery after the opening double, but ultimately not enough.

Kevin Brannan’s birdie-bogey-par finish left him one shot short on 67. David McColgan’s 68 – with question marks on his golfing through Amen Corner, left him rueing missed chances in the middle third of the round. Defending champion Stephen Orr, after a messy closing stretch, carded a disappointing 81 — too many shots off the pace.

Race to the Top: Order of Merit Shaken Up

The results of the King’s Cup sent ripples through the 2025 Order of Merit standings. Here’s what changed:

• David McColgan solidified his lead with a fourth-place finish worth 800 points, moving from 4,150 to 4,950 points. He remains the man to catch heading into the final events.

• Daniel Peck made the biggest leap, gaining 700 points to rise from 5th to 3rd overall at 3,200 points.

• Alan Duncan, despite not being in the hunt so far this season, announced his candidacy for the late-season charge. His win however gains him an exemption from Q-School in 2026.

• Paul Gowens slipped slightly, now 5th with 3,050 points, while Stuart Allan held steady in 4th after a solid T6 finish.

With only three events remaining, it seems the Order of Merit crown is McColgan’s to lose, but a chase pack is forming. Daniel Peck and Stuart Allan both have the consistency to challenge, while dark horses like Alan Duncan and Kevin Brannan could yet disrupt the race with a late-season surge.
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A Family Affair, A Veteran’s Glory

For Alan Duncan, this wasn’t just another win. It was personal. Outlasting his brother Denis in a final-round showdown at one of the Tour’s flagship events was a moment of immense pride — and redemption after close calls in years past.

It’s been over 2 years since Alan Duncan won an Order of Merit event and he’s done in it in style, capping of a July he’ll not forget in a hurry.

The order of merit returns in on August 17th with the final regular season event of 2025, the Forrest-Lochgelly Open. Join us then to see how the standings look ahead of the season ending Tour Champs at Craigielaw.