With the conclusion of the Dodhead Invitational we mark the end of the Inchkeith Cup.

First played for 2022 and won by Rookie of the Year Paul Gowens with an aggregate score of level par – (Aberdour & Kinghorn) – it challenges players over Kinghorn, Aberdour and Burntisland.

The three courses all share the same stretch of coastline with Inchkeith island ever present on the horizons in the Firth of Forth. The players scores are made up of the best 2 rounds against par and as such there is great potential for big swings, especially in the final round.

Heading into the Dodhead Invitational all eyes were on Stevie Orr who carried a 7-under round from Kinghorn. However, missing the MCM @ Aberdour meant his score at Burntisland would count and an 11-over par round sunk his hopes.

Andy Love carried a 2-under par round from the MCM but missing Kinghorn meant his round at Burntisland also counted and when he reached 5-under it looked like it’d all be over until he limped home level par and carded 2-under for the Inchkeith.

McColgan who went into the Dodhead with a 5-over par aggregate from Kinghorn and Aberdour looked to have powered through the field with a 3-under par round in the final counting event lifting him 8 shots better.

However, whilst McColgan was doing his heavy lifting, someone else was doing the same. Barry Cunningham started the day 8-over par a 5-under round at Aberdour coupled with 13-over at Kinghorn. Cunningham however, put on an exquisite show for the back nine and finished 1-over par for the Dodhead and 4-under for the Inchkeith.

We had the pleasure of sitting down with him so let’s get on with the interview.

Barry, welcome to the winner’s circle, a lot has changed since you last won on Tour.

“Thanks guys – great to be here, and yes a lot has change, I don’t think you guys were even about when I was last winning on Tour.”

For the newcomer to the EuroDov Tour, Barry Cunningham is a founding member and played in the first match in September 2013. That day he won the inaugural Montgomery Cup – now the fourth Major on Tour.

However, since then (including a few years away from the Tour) Barry has failed to pick up a second Tour win, until today – how does it feel?

“It has been 10 years but I don’t think I played golf for about 6 of them!! So give me a break guys! Buts seriously it’s nice to get a win in any event as the standard is very high with so many good golfers on Tour nowadays.”

You carded a 5-under par and 1-over par round at Aberdour and Burntisland respectively, you must be pleased with those performances?

“At Aberdour I had home advantage but anytime you shoot under par you’re happy. Burntisland is a course I haven’t played well at before so a +1 wasn’t too bad.”

‘I haven’t played well at before’ is an understatement. Cunningham’s 1-under par round in 2023 was a whole 18 hosts better than 2022.

You went into the final round with 5-under par and 13-over par rounds, was today make or break for your chances?

“I knew the Aberdour round gave me a chance but I knew there were a few guys in the same position so I just wanted to try and shoot the best score I could today and see where I ended up.”

Cunningham was trailing in the Inchkeith standings as he walked on to the 16th tee. McColgan was wrapping up on 18 and had carded a 3-under aggregate score. However, a birdie on one of the hardest holes on the course followed by a birdie on the challenging par 3 17th propelled him to the top of the leaderboard – were you aware of how important those two holes were at the time?

“Not at all I hadn’t even given the Inchkeith a thought. There was a bit of banter between Jim, Alan and I down the last few holes because we all had the same scores and we’re trying to beat each other... probably owe the boys a beer for the motivation!!”

Now you have the 10 year monkey off your back, is there another win in there for 2023?

“Hopefully it’s not another 10 years away anyway!

The game is pretty solid just now and as long as I’m in contention I’ll be happy as trying to win just once is hard enough with the standard of the boys right now, anyone can win on any given day.”

What a great story for the 2023 season, the first ever winner on the EuroDov Tour, back in the winner’s circle and who knows, we might see him again very soon.

The final standings of the Inchkeith Cup were as follows;

Cunningham (-4); McColgan (-3); Love (-2); D. Duncan (+1); Mair, Sutherland (+2); Connor, Orr (+4); Brannan, A. Duncan (+6); Morrison (+7); Robertson (+9); Allan (+11); Greenshields (+12); Peck (+14); McNeill (+17)