After a six week break and two Majors, the Order of Merit was back at centre stage on Tour. The field head to the seaside town of Kinghorn for the Kinghorn Classic. Originally billed for April, but due to some green keeping issues the Tour delayed its arrival until June.

A significantly reduced field took on the quirky Links in incredibly tough conditions. Battered from the first shot to the last, the players had to contest with 20-25mph winds the whole round.

Paul Gowens, fresh off his Tour debut and win at the MCM @ Aberdour enjoyed the front 11 holes walking to the 12th tee level par. However, a triple and double bogey on his next two holes thrust him into a tight race for the win.

In the end it was David McColgan defending Kinghorn Classic champion from 2021, and Order of Merit leader in 2022, that prevailed by 1 stroke, and we got a chance to sit down with him for the fourth time in 2022.

“Afternoon guys, it’s great to be sitting down with you again.”

Before we talk about the golf let’s talk about those conditions, how did you find them?

“Quite simply, it was brutal!

After my tee shot got pulled way right on the first tee and nearly out of bounds, I knew we were in for battle today.”

What’s the approach when conditions are like that?

“It really is hard; it feels like you are defeated before you’ve even hit a ball. The main thing to keep in your mind is that we are all playing the same conditions.

I often think you find out more about yourself in those conditions than you do your game.”

Let’s talk about the course, you were presented with a very firm and fast course again, how challenging is that?

“The course was in great condition again; the greens were immaculate.

Kinghorn is always a challenge to the field as most players, if not all, play all their golf on parkland and for many adjusting to a course where the ball bounces all over the place is challenging.

The test set out today on the firm and fast course with the wind was probably as close to the edge as we’ll get.”

Let’s get to the golf, talk us through the opening tee shot?

“I’d rather not to be honest haha!

There is nothing worse with everyone on the first tee and you carve your shot way right, and nearly out of bounds.

I learned pretty quickly how the wind was going to affect the ball, I guess.

Thankfully when I got up there, I firstly managed to find and then after a little walk-about concluded it was in bounds, albeit by about a foot!”

Did you get de ja vu on 3?

“Haha – it is funny that my tee shot was almost identical from last year. I seem to like the land short of the wall, hop, over and have a putt for birdie!”

Talk us through the toughest hole on the course, the 8th?

“Well, it was our first reprieve from the wind, it was finally at our back, but what a hole to have it there. Blind tee shot with danger left and right, then a down hill second to a slopey green, not exactly easy.”

You carded a par, but maybe not the conventional way. – talk as through it.

“Well, thank God there aren’t any pictures on scorecards.

The wind was gusting at our backs and with the danger down right and the out of bounds down the left I opted for a 5-iron, only to send it sailing OB.

I re-teed and sent the same club right down the middle of the fairway.

I had 135 in to the green, downhill, and down wind and I punched a 9-iron about 60 yards short of the green and watched it run out to about 10 feet.

I sunk the par for a 5 and let out a big sigh of relief.”

You’ve won three events out of four this year, what do you think it says about the competition?

“I think the Order of Merit is a great event and it really is growing in stature on the Tour. I have won three events but that masks close battles in all of them. I won St Andrews and Burntisland by 3 shots (and could easily have lost both those events) and then won Kinghorn by a single stroke, so I am not running away with them.

My approach all year has been to play my game and post my score, and what happens around me happens. Just look at Aberdour I played my best round this year with a 1-under par score and finished 3rd!”

Obviously, you are top of the OoM now with three wins but what story line do you like?

“There are loads of storylines still to be written this year.

Look at Paul Gowens, two events, a win, and a runner-up spot! That’s top golf there.

Callum McNeill is slowly improving as the year goes on and for someone who “just wanted to win a point” in event one to be sitting 7th in the standings is brilliant.

It looks like there is going to be a four-way battle for 2nd place for sure with 800 points separating Stuart Allan in 2nd to Paul Gowens in 5th with Barry Cunningham and Denis Duncan in 2nd and 3rd respectively.
The final three events of the year are going to be high stakes all to play for.”

Well that seems like a really positive note to finish on today, thanks for joining us, and thanks to all you EuroDov Tour fans for tuning in.

We’ll be back on July 17th for Andy Love’s defence of the King’s Cup at Canmore Golf Club.