The 2023 edition of the EuroDov Tour’s Order of Merit is in the bag. The season long competition saw 18 players – the largest field in its history – battle it out over 7 events all in the hope of getting their hands on the James Braid Quaich.

The Order of Merit stands above all other events on the EuroDov Tour schedule, it’s a test of ability and consistency, players can bask in the glory of short-term form, but an ability to maintain form and ability throughout the season is where the real rewards lie.

2023 saw not only the largest, but the strongest field ever, we had 6 players from the inaugural 2021 season playing, 7 more from the 2022 season and 5 rookies ready to take on the challenge. And with the strongest field, came the most competitive season. 6 different winners across 7 events, 3 wins on countback, it is unquestionably the toughest season so far.

The outcome, well it was a lot more familiar than many had hoped, after 7 events, the James Braid Quaich did not find a new home, instead it heads home with the same name engraved on it as 2021 and 2022.

David McColgan led the entire field in average strokes per round (69.25), he led the field in average leaderboard standing (3.38) and when the season was over his winning margin of 2400 points was the largest margin ever in the OoM era.

We had the chance to sit down with him and get his thoughts on the season just gone. David McColgan, Champion Golfer of the Year, you must be getting bored of that by now?

“Hi guys, nice to see you again.

I am not sure I’ll ever get bored of it, but I am sure other are.”

Well let’s get into the thick of it, you stated at the start of the season top 5 wins was your aim and that your 4-win season wouldn’t be repeated again, how do you evaluate 2023?

“Well, I think I was vindicated in saying my four win season wouldn’t happen again. What an incredible tough season it’s been, and the larger field has many you have to be at the very top of your game to have the chance to win each week.

I think I have to look at the year and say overall it was a success. My aim was to target top 5 wins and I delivered 1 win, 6 top 3’s and 2 top 10s.”

We’ll get to your thoughts on the field first but let’s chat about disappointments, you’re very open on Tour when you aren’t happy with your own game, so where does your disappointment lie in 2023?

“I realize I am saying this from the privileged position of Champion Golfer of the Year, but I wasn’t happy with my round at Aberdour.

9th place finish wasn’t good enough in my opinion and it all fell out of 3 very silly holes. I need to deal better with moments like that on the golf course and that’ll be an area of focus for 2024 for sure.”

Let’s look at the field, 18 players, the largest field ever, how did that affect the season?

“There is no question it is great to see the expansion of the Order of Merit. 2021 was fun, 2022 was even better and 2023 was great.

It has made the Order of Merit a very tough place to win though, especially for me. I am giving away 21 strokes to the average handicap in the field, of course that fluctuates from 14 at the bottom end of the scale to 27 at the top end, but that is a lot of strokes no matter how you look at it.”

We had 5 rookies in 2023, what did you think about them?

“It’s great to get new players on the Tour in general, but the 2023 OoM rookies seem to settle in really quickly – I mean Alan Duncan won the first event of the season, it was that quick!”

Let’s look at Alan Duncan and Richard Mair, two rookies who lifted 3 events in 2023 – what was your take on that?

“It was great to see Alan win, he can get down on his game so quickly and I think it showed him straight away not only does he have the ability to compete, but he can come out here and win as well.

As for Richard, there’s a lot of chat about boring, boring golf, but all I see is a very aesthetically pleasing game that is strong in the fundamentals, and if you ask me, we might have witnessed a future Champion Golfer of the Year make his debut.”

Let’s go back to the start of the season, you were defending the St Andrews Open and the Kinghorn Classic after wins in 2021 and 2022 at both events, when you didn’t win either in 2023, what was going through your mind?

“I think people would like to read here that I was panicking but far from it. I had set a goal of top 5 finishes and both those events saw me finish third and second respectively. So, by my own targets I had over-achieved.”

I understand that David, but come one, there were some corners of the field enjoying the fact you hadn’t won, were you really not bothered by those performances?

“Let’s break it down.

The St Andrews Open I lost by 2 shots to a player I was giving 23 shots away to. If I was playing off scratch, I would have shot the same as the leader and won on a countback, does that sound like a complete disaster?

At Kinghorn I lost by 7 to a player I was giving 20 shots away to.

When you look at my average score over those two rounds, 67, it was 9 strokes better than the field average over those 2 rounds and I was 500 points clear at the top of the Order of Merit standings. It’s hard to see by any measure why I’d be worried.”

By May you had gone winless through 3 events, we had seen three first time winners lift trophies, and there was a growing part of the field who had put a target on your back at the start of the season who were gladly revelling in your lack of success and as the season wore on there was a growing discourse willing your failure, this must have affected you through the season?

“I think I have spoken about this before, and to be honest there were actions and words said through this season that did not sit well with me but when you look at my game, it didn’t affect me. I learned long ago in golf, you can only control the things in your gift, and that is your swing, your process, your game and your score. What else happens around you is entirely out with your control.

So, for me when comments are made, deliberate actions are done at points in a game, I can’t control them, but what I can do is trust my process and put it in action.

I won’t deny it takes the enjoyment out of it for me. I suppose I deserve a target on my back, it goes with the territory but to walk around the course and hear players vocally cheer bad shots, will them to happen or deliberately try to put me off, it’s not how I play the game, its not how I play the game.

But if it’s here on the Tour now, I need to find a way to deal with that, find a process that helps me enjoy my game even if that’s going on around me.”

There’s a lot of honesty in there, and we’ll revisit later maybe, but let’s circle back to Burntisland, you arrived without a win but still top of the Order of Merit by 100 points, what was going through your mind at this point?

“I think I said I wanted to win Burntisland back in 2022, and having done that, I was heading into defend.

Burntisland is the course I know the best on the rota, and I am confident of my ability to move a ball around there, I played really well, and my target of top 5 finishes was going to be exceeded again. Out in the front group is tough because you don’t know what’s going on behind you and whilst I was playing well, I sat in the clubhouse with a few players coming down the stretch with a chance to win.”

Let’s stay there for a minute, you were in the clubhouse with the lead, then Love unravelled on the 16th and an error from Connor cost him it on the 18th, what goes through your mind then?

“Firstly – of course it is great to win, but it’s hard to watch for the other players. We’ve all been there where you are flying on minute, then you are feeling like a beginner the next.

No one likes to see it, but it’s part of golf unfortunately.”

I want to fast forward to the Tour Championships, you’ve went 3rd and T1st at Canmore and Lochgelly, but you’ve still not won on links turf since April 2022, you’d finish up 3rd at the Tour Champs and are still without a win on the links, does that trouble you?

“Troubled, no, disappointed yes!

I love links golf, and time and time again it is often the domain of great ball strikers. To not come away with a win is a bit annoying but it gives me something to focus on for sure.”

The 2023 season finished with a win for Stuart Allan at Craigielaw, he was the 6th winner of 2023, how does that affect preparations for 2024?

“Firstly – I was delighted for Stuart to get his win, I feel he’s been fighting his game for the last two years and really yearning for that win, and for him to get it at the Tour Champs, on a course that tough and with a full field, it really vindicates the hard work he’s put in.

I think everyone will be looking at this year, and weighing and measuring their efforts, and there’ll be plenty bruised and battered players out there.

If you look at my winning score, it’s 600 points short of 7 3rd place finishes, winning events doesn’t necessarily win you the Order of Merit, and some players would do well to reflect on that.”

There has been talk of “collective responsibility” from the field to bridge the gap between you and the second place, what’s your thoughts on that?

“I have read a few comments about closing the gap between me and the rest, but if I am honest, I am not sure it is as big as some might consider. The odd result here or there and the standings could look very different.”

With 2023 in the bag, what are your thoughts on the story lines to watch out for in 2024?

“Well Q-school is going to be exciting. I am gutted to see Peck and McNeill drop down, I have enjoyed rounds with them both over the past two years, but I’d put money on one or both of them bouncing back in 2024.

Paul Gowens is another one to watch. 2023 was such a tough year from him, and his return from his medical treatment and 1500-point haul at the Tour Champs shows he’s still got it, can he repeat his 2022 season, time will tell.

And my final one to watch is Andy Love, he went winless in 2023 in the Order of Merit, but finished 2nd, he has the game to win. This season he was 3rd in average strokes per round and 4th in average leaderboard position, it is undeniable he has more than enough ability to compete for the Quaich.”

McColgan’s year wasn’t laden with silverware like 2022 and didn’t have the shine of something new like 2021 but what it had was a metronomic consistency of a reliable time piece, constantly ticking over event and after event.

His performances were surpassed by some but like Icarus, McColgan watched them fly too close to the sun, burn out, and watched them fall again all the while he maintained the perfect altitude that delivered him the James Braid Quaich.

McColgan’s dominance in the OoM era is undeniable, he has 8 event wins, 2 Harry Vardon trophies and 3 James Braid Quaichs. and it’s hard to imagine any player echoing his success.

In a season that saw “the enjoyment” taken out the game for him, it’s undeniable that McColgan’s positivity for the competition and the field is still strong. The OoM will be back in 2024 and we hope he’ll be there too but for now we leave you with your 2023 EuroDov Tour Champion Golfer of the Year, David McColgan