After what seemed like a lifetime wait to bring you the first From The Locker Room winner’s interview of the 2022 season we are right back at it with the second event of the year.

The Dodhead Invitational jumped up the Tour schedule following issues at Kinghorn Golf Club and as such we’ll be visiting the quirky Links course in June this year. It always feels like something of a home coming for the Tour any time it visits Burntisland House Golf Club, 7 of the Tours players play their off-Tour schedule here so there is always a strong feeling of familiarity.

The cool conditions from the St Andrews Open persisted into April and the players were also challenged with a stiff wind and rain for the Dodhead Invitational. After what looked like a repeat of 2021 as Stuart Allan and Stuart Sutherland fought it out for the best part of 12 holes the eventual winner, and Burntisland Golf House Club native, David McColgan won his 2nd event in a row in 2022 and his fourth straight Order of Merit event stretching back to August 2021.

We sat down with him to get his thoughts on the Dodhead Invitational and the year ahead.

Hello again David, how do you feel right now?

“Hi guys, it’s great to be here, but like most of the boys I am feeling a bit battered, bruised and drenched after that.”

Talk us through the conditions out there.

“Well for Stuarty [Allan] and I, we had fairly good conditions for 10 holes. As the lead group we certainly got through a good number of holes before the wind really picked up and the rain came. And I think that definitely helped the pair of us score the way we did.

For the first 10 holes we were dealing with maybe a two-club wind at times, it was good at your back down 1 thru 3 but once you started the stretch of 4 thru 9 it moves around you so much you need to really be on your game.”

Let’s talk about Stuart Allan, who you were playing with, he was defending champion, what were your thoughts on his round?

“Look Stuarty knows how to get round here, I think he carded a 6-under par in 2021 on his way to winning it.

It was evident from the get-go he was in a good place golf wise today. The biggest sign of that for me was his lost tee shot on 4 only resulted in a bogey, that takes a strong game to brush away the tee shot and focus on what’s in front of you.

His tee shot on 6 was exquisite and despite his struggles on 12, 13 and 16 he was never really out of it till the last putt fell.”

You carded a 2-over par in some tough conditions, what’s your reflection on your round?

“It’s hard to sit here and be critical of your game when you’ve won the tournament.

I think I played pretty well. I drove the ball well, whether it was a Driver, 4 wood or 2-iron in my hand, I was finding fairways quite comfortably, in some challenging conditions.

I also putted well, it’s been a weakness of my game the last couple of years, but with my new putter in my bag and some good practice under my belt I felt I was rolling the ball better.”

The much-publicized change of tournament on the Tuesday must have really thrown you, talk us through that?

“I don’t think it was too much of an issue. I have been a member at Burntisland for a number of years now, so know the course pretty well.

It just meant I need to change my focus from a course I play once a year to a course I play weekly, and that can’t be a bad thing.”

As you mentioned you are a member at Burntisland Golf House Club, and play an off-Tour schedule there, what does it mean to lift the Dodhead Invitational in 2022?

“This means everything to me.

I was bitterly disappointed in my game in 2021, and how I didn’t even compete – although when you see the final results in 2021 there really wasn’t a hope in hell I’d catch the guys. And if I am honest that was my fear in 2022, Allan and Sutherland both seem to turn up for this event and I thought I might just be a spectator again in 2022.”

It’s the second event in a row you’ve won, and EuroDov Reporter had you as the favourite going into both, will you be hoping he gives you the same spot ahead of Mearns Castle?

“It certainly feels like a blessing rather than the kiss of death, doesn’t it?

However, I think the keen Tour follower will start asking if my race has been run for a couple of Tournaments. I feel the shorter courses are going to see a plethora of players vying for silverware and Aberdour certainly fits that mould.

You’ve got Barry [Cunningham] and Daniel [Peck] who are both members there and they’ll be pushing to lift their first Tour event, but you’ve also got Allan and Sutherland and a whole host of others who will fancy their chances; my job now is to hold to their coat tails and not get left behind.”

Doesn’t that seem a bit pessimistic for someone who has just won two events in a row and enjoys a 1000 point lead in the standings?

“I’d say realistic.

Look at 2021, we had 5 different winners over 6 regular season events. The history books say I can’t keep winning.

Also, if you look at my two wins 3-over Par and 2-over Par in sub-optimal conditions. When the weather improves and too the course conditions, I fully expect to see the boys breaking par, and when they start doing that, I can’t afford any slip-ups.

It’s a long season and there’s plenty water to pass under the bridge yet.”

You’ve won 4 Order of Merit events in a row now, stretching back to August 2021 and the Kinghorn Classic, you have stretched your lead in the Tour Rankings over Denis Duncan – where is the ceiling in 2022 for you?

“I hadn’t really thought about the four events in a row dimension of today’s win. It’s kind of cool but it can all come tumbling about my ears if I don’t watch out.

The reality is my lead in the Order of Merit can evaporate if any player sitting in 2nd through 6th win at Aberdour and I finish out the points – and that is a real possibility given how competitive this field is. So, I can’t sit back and start dreaming of grandeur and victory parade in August.”

One last question before we let you go and warm-up after today, you’ve alluded to Aberdour and the Mearns Castle Memorial in May, but let’s look one week passed that and The Invitational. It’s the first Major of the year, and all you need to complete the Grand Slam – how do you feel about that prospect?

“I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t want to win that, and complete the Grand Slam, but I need to focus one tournament at a time. If I can put a good showing in at the Mearns Castle Memorial psychologically it’ll put me in a good place and might just make a few of the guys question if they can win it before a ball has even been struck.”

Well, there we have it folks, David McColgan, enters the winners’ circle for the second time in 2022 on his home course Burntisland Golf House Club. We’ll be back for a very busy May featuring the Mearns Castle Memorial, The Invitational and The EuroDov Cup.

See you then.