RyDov Cup History

September 7th is a date engrained in EuroDov Tour folklore.

It was on this day in 2013 the genesis of the Tour was founded, 12 players gathered on the first tee of the Montgomery Course to play a match that would be the very foundation of today’s EuroDov Tour.

In 2024, that number had grown to 24, and they stood on the same hallowed turf ready to compete in the 10th RyDov Cup match.

It was an atmospheric morning as fog swept across the course and players would be forgiven for seeing the ghosts of RyDov past on the fairways and greens in front of them.

10 years on since the infamous ‘Collapse at Kinross’ 24 players arrived at the spiritual home of the EuroDov Tour determined to write their names in the history books.

Led out by 2 players who took part in the very first match, Andy Love and Kevin Brannan were poised for a monumental battle over the day.

When the Captain’s set out their line-ups we were given the glimpse of some tasty matches, and none more so than the opening match which saw Captain v Captain. As the opening tee shots were sent down the par 3 first, the match was underway, and the excitement built.

As the EuroDov Tour season ends it is always fitting that the Tour returns to its spiritual home, Kinross Golf Courses. Born on the 7th September 2013, the first RyDov Cup featured 12 players who set-out unknowingly that 9 years on 24 players would be fighting the same battle, over the same course.

Kevin Brannan and Stuart Allan led their teams onto the Bruce Course for the morning singles matches. 12 matches worth 1 point a piece, a chance to help your team get their hands on the hallowed Cup and write your name into the history books forever.

It was another RyDov Cup worthy of the season closer. Team Duncan’s defence of the Cup fell a point short, but the team fought to the end. Team Baxter in the end walked away with the win and one that will ring through the ages. A dominant performance in the afternoon coupled with a knife edge morning result was enough for Greig Baxter to etch his name in RyDov Cup history.

The sixth playing of the RyDov Cup was played in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. The tournament was at risk of missing its annual appearance in the calendar for the first time.

However late in the day the decision was taken to run the tournament, in line with social distancing rules and under guidance on playing golf during the pandemic.

The tournament saw Team Duncan face of against Team Hedges Snr. as Captain Denis Duncan tried to thwart of the challenge and ensure it wasn't one-and-done for Duncan.

So let's take a look at the morning matches;

The Fifth playing of the RyDov Cup saw Team Duncan, Captained by Denis Duncan, challenge Team Hedges following their win in 2018. It also so an increase in the size of the field to 20 players and had the first international player in Curly van Spaendonck, from belgium, play. 

​Van Spaendonck was joined by Jim Robertson, Gary Seath, Graeme Connor and Paul McLachlan as the 2019 rookie class. 

In a strange turn of events Team Hedges was the first team to be captained by the Vice Captain on the day due to John Hedges having to withdraw from the match. 

The Fourth playing of the RyDov Cup saw two new Captains take the helm and Team hedges, Cpatained by John Hedges, faced Team Hardie, Captained by Scott Hardie. It also saw the inclusion of four rookies in David Hutcheson, Ryan Strachan, Allan Kinnear and Danilel Peck. 

​The morning singles saw some of the biggest results in RyDov Cup history. Rookie Allan Kinnear over powered Marcus McCran to record a 8&6 win; Ryan Strachan, another rookie, recorded a 7&6 win; RyDov vets David McColgan and Kevin Brannan each recorded 6&5 and 5&3 wins respectively. All three putting 4 points on the board for Team Hedges.

2017 saw the RyDov Cup join the annual rota of the EuroDov Tour. It also saw an expansion of the field from 12 to 16. 

Rule changes formalised the captaincy rules for the competition and saw Captains retain the captaincy if they won for a maximum of three years. Losing captains were replaced by their Vice Captain. In line with these rules 2017 was David McColgan's last year as Captain, win or lose. 

​The Third Playing of the RyDov Cup was competed between Team Dov, Captained by David McColgan and Team McCran Captained by Marcus McCran. 

It would be three years before the RyDov Cup was competed for after the Collapse at Kinross in 2013. But in 2016 the Second playing of the RyDov Cup was held once again at the Kinross Golf Courses.

​2016 saw 5 debutants take to the hallowed turf at Kinross and enter the fire of competition. The 2016 edition was competed for between Captains David McColgan (Team Dov) and John Hedges (Team Hedges) and for the first time in RyDov history the teams were Captained and Vice Captained by father-son combos. 

The inaugural RyDov Cup was held on September 7th, 2013. The ensuing 36 holes would go down in RyDov folklore and set the tone for the years to come.

The matches were contested by two teams of six players captained by father and son combo William McColgan and David McColgan. The morning matches, played on the Montogomery Course at Kinross, were a tense affair. Only Barry Cunnigham and John Hedges (Team Wills) would take firm command of thier matches and the morning result eventually finished 4.5 v 1.5 for Team Wills.