After what felt a long gap between play the Order of Merit left Fife and headed to the Mearns Castle Academy in East Renfrewshire. Stephen Green welcomed the Tour to his home course but unfortunately couldn’t lay on good weather.

The players were welcomed with upwards of 15mph winds and squally showers on a day of tough golf. However, it was the wizardry of Green over holes 17 and 18 that had everyone talking at the end of the day as he lifted his first EuroDov title on his home course.

We welcomed a wind battered Green after his round and the smile on his face certainly disguised the conditions, he faced out there. Before we got down to the details of his win Green said he was, “a bit apprehensive to be honest,” when talking about being the host for the third stage of the OoM. He continued, “it’s a long way for the tour to come and I wanted the players to enjoy what I feel is a challenging course. The weather was a bit of a let-down, but you can’t count on that in these parts of the world. Overall, I feel the course and facilities did me proud.”

Looking to his round Green said, “my front 9 was pretty was solid under the conditions, and posting a 5 over at the turn, I was pleased to still be in the mix.” This of course hides some great play from Green who birdied the first and parred the 2nd to lead on -1 par, the only player to get under par at any point on the day.

Sitting one off the lead at the turn Green would post four straight bogey’s to start the back nine, looking over this section of his round he said, “I’m not going to lie, the 11th was a slog and could feel my head going. But I was still hanging in there.”

Despite the start to the back nine it is the last 5 holes that had everyone talking. As conditions raged and temperatures dropped, Green returned in three-under par from the 14th. Green reflected, “If I am honest, I thought my race had run walking on to the 14th and the pressure was off a little. At that point it was just about enjoying my golf.”

Green unleashed the, now, famous hybrid on 15 and found the centre of the green on the downhill par 3. However, he’d go on to 5 putt the green and reflected that, “15 was a big disappointment. Was on the green from the tee but had a total shocker with the putter, I really should be doing better than that.”

As the final group made it to the 17th tee it seemed to be down to Duncan and Sutherland. Green was 6 shots off the lead and at that point decided it was time for fireworks. Let’s hand it over to Green to talk us through the hole;

“When we go the 17th the wind had changed slightly and was out of our backs. I had hit the hybrid nicely on the 15th so had some confidence in it. I had 171 yards to the pin, tucked back right on the green and when I made contact I knew it was a good shot.

All three of us (Green, Duncan and McColgan) had hit good shots up there but it wasn’t till we got to the green that I realised how good it was. With the ball sitting 4 feet from the pin the 15th was playing in my mind and I was determined to walk off with at least a 3 but the put rolled in nicely.”

That putt saw Green move from 11 over to 8 over and only three shots off the lead. Green reflects that by the 18th he was, “just playing [my] own game, and not thinking of the win. I normally push my tee shot right on that hole so was trying to get it in play. Lucky the wind held it up and kept it in play by a few feet. I hit a great approach and was actually thinking I could make another birdie to finish up and that probably played on my mind and I left the birdie putt short.

I knew Dennis was in trouble, but I wasn’t really thinking about the win, just get the hole over and out the weather. Was a shock to learn that I had won the event!”

And win it he did. It was the second event that Duncan had a commanding lead coming into the latter stages only to see it slip from his grasp.

However, Green’s determination and play right to the very last putt saw him lift the Mearns Castle Memorial, on his home course. After such a momentous day on the tour we can’t help but give the last words over to your 2021 Mearns Castle Memorial winner, Stephen Green.

“Well guys, I didn’t think I would win an event at all and it’s just extra special that it’s my home event. Gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season.”