The EuroDov Tour returned to Fife for the fourth event in the 2021 Order of Merit. The conditions could not have been further from the wind and rain batter Mearns Castle in May.

The field arrived at Canmore Golf Club, Dunfermline, with a gentle southernly breeze taking the edge of the afternoon heat that was edging over 20C as the players took to the course.

Canmore is home to perennial runner-up Denis Duncan, and much of the pre-tournament chatter was all about Duncan’s inevitable win. However, there was only one horse in this race and once in front he did not relinquish his lead. We were delighted to sit down with Andy Love after his blistering 7-under par 60 saw him lead the field for two-thirds of the tournament in a performance that looked like the ending was pre-destined by some distant golf-god.

The relief and excitement was written across Love’s face has he joined the From the Locker Room team, in his opening remarks he said, “It feels fantastic. Not just the win but feeling vindicated in my belief in my ability. I knew I was capable of a round like todays. I had come close in a few practice rounds, but never brought it to the big stage, where it matters, on the Order of Merit.”

Love’s dominance in the King’s Cup has created a whirlwind of excitement and many commentators believe he is one to watch for the James Braid Quaich in August. When we asked him about the result he said, “I can’t speak for the rest of the field and explain why nobody could even get close to me, but the difference for me, I think, was consistency off the tee. That has been my downfall of late. I got all bar one drive away well enough to at least give me a second shot. Today was the first round I have carded using the same ball from first to last, which I think shows how consistent I was from tee to green over 18.”

Love trailed Canmore native, Denis Duncan, by three shots walking on to the sixth tee, he would go on to card 6 under par for the next 5 holes that would leave him three shots in front walking on to the 11th tee. Love talk’s us through those holes;

“6 is where I feel my round came together. Every tee shot from 1-5 was ‘ok’ at best. I was playing more recovery shots as my second shots, and my putting was what kept me in it. Through 1-5 I only had 8 putts, so I knew that was dialled in. I just needed a good drive, and I got that on 6. My drive left me an easy 6 iron on to the green, and my putting sealed the birdie. That gave me the confidence stepping on to 7, and a par there carried me through on to 8. I had a bit of a shocker off the tee, but was in play, so relied on my 7 iron to save me. 9 and 10 had a bit of fortune about some of the shots, but by that time I was dialled in and not fazed by anything not quite going my way.”

Love came into the King’s Cup on the back of two last place finishes and a second last place, not exactly pedigree form, so what was different this month? “My OoM performance has been identical to my overall play - tremendous or terrible, very little in between. Unless I can get some consistency, then I suspect it will be more of the same. However, I think I have learned a bit about my game that will help me be more consistent (hint, it involves my driver staying in the bag).”

Love’s game was undeniably a cut above the rest this month but where does he see his game at, at this stage of the season? “It’s up and down. Lost balls off the tee is what is killing me. I need to work on stopping that, and I should be set up for start chipping away at that handicap. If I can get that consistency, then I can see me getting a few more respectable places in the OoM.”

After four events we thought we had seen it all, but no one has managed to dominate the field so unequivocally. Love was the only player in the field not to be over par the whole day and once he had clean air in front of him there was no slowing him down.

It is another first-time winner on the EuroDov Tour and it throws the race to the Tour Championship wide open. Love is a thoughtful player, with an ability to move the ball around the course, with accuracy comes scoring and with scoring success, and this might not be the last time we see Love in the winners’ circle in 2021.