Every tournament develops its mythology.

Over time certain shots, collapses and performances become the moments players remember long after the scorecards are filed away. The St Andrews Open may only be five years old, but already the Eden Course has produced moments that feel woven into the identity of the event.

These are the moments that shaped the early history of the tournament.

1. The First Champion — McColgan Wins the Inaugural Open (2021)

The first St Andrews Open in 2021 carried a sense of curiosity. No one yet knew what the tournament might become or which players would emerge as its natural contenders.

David McColgan provided the answer.

His winning round of 71 was not defined by spectacular shot-making but by composure. While others struggled to adapt to the subtle challenges of the Eden Course, McColgan played with patient precision.

Fairways found.
Greens hit.
Mistakes avoided.

By the time he reached the closing holes, several rivals had already watched their rounds unravel — particularly on the treacherous 17th hole. McColgan’s calm navigation of the closing stretch secured the first St Andrews Open title and established the blueprint for winning at the Eden Course.

Patience.
Control.
And above all, avoiding disaster.

2. Lightning Strikes Twice — McColgan Defends the Title (2022)

Winning a tournament once can be a moment of inspiration.

Winning it twice reveals something deeper.

When the players returned to the Eden Course in 2022, many assumed the defending champion would struggle to repeat the feat. The field had learned from the previous year, and the conditions proved more difficult.

Yet once again McColgan appeared uniquely comfortable navigating the course’s challenges.

His winning score of 73 did not dominate the leaderboard, but it displayed something even more valuable — consistency. While others chased birdies or forced aggressive shots, McColgan once again relied on discipline and course management.

The victory secured back-to-back titles and quietly established the first great narrative of the St Andrews Open.

The Eden Course had found its first master.

3. Alan Duncan’s Record-Breaking Round (2023)

If the early editions of the St Andrews Open had belonged to McColgan, the 2023 tournament belonged to Alan Duncan.

His round of 65 remains the lowest score recorded in the tournament’s history and transformed the Eden Course into something rarely seen before — a place where birdies appeared in clusters rather than isolated moments.

What made the round remarkable was not just its score but its balance.

Duncan attacked when opportunities appeared, particularly on the scoring holes, yet navigated the course’s more dangerous stretches with restraint.

It was the first time the Eden Course had been conquered rather than merely survived.

4. The Wind That Changed the Tournament (2024)

Golf is often shaped by weather, but few tournaments have been altered as dramatically as the 2024 St Andrews Open.

Strong winds swept across the links and forced organisers to shorten the championship to fourteen holes.

The result was an unusual contest where strategy became even more critical. With fewer holes available to recover from mistakes, every shot carried greater importance.

Stuart Sutherland adapted better than anyone.

His winning score of 57 in the shortened format demonstrated a remarkable ability to control ball flight in the wind — keeping drives low, approaches precise and emotions steady.

It was a victory built on adaptability, and it remains one of the most distinctive editions of the tournament.

5. The Graveyard at the 17th (2021–2025)

Every tournament has a hole that defines its drama.

At the St Andrews Open, that hole is the 17th.

Running alongside the boundary of the course with out-of-bounds stakes looming along the right side, it has already become the place where rounds — and sometimes entire tournaments — collapse.

Over the years several players have learned this lesson painfully:

Denis Duncan — 11 (2021)
Barry Cunningham - 11 (2022)
Ally Greenshields — 11 (2025)
Scott Gowens — 10 (2025)

The hole demands a simple task: find the fairway.

Yet the psychological pressure it creates has turned the 17th into the tournament’s most feared tee shot.

Many promising rounds have died here.

And every player standing on that tee knows it.