Hot on the heels of the Anstruther Medal the Order of Merit got back into full swing. The June-July break is always tough on the FTLR guys but when the King’s Cup heads to Dunfermline, we know we’re in for a ride all the way through to the RyDov Cup.

However, today was all about Canmore and the King’s Cup. It’s a fantastic event that always requires low scoring to win. Expectation was for a soft and forgiving course, but the players were met with a firm and fiery course buffeted with a changeable wind all day – all the hallmarks of a classic.

It looked like it’d be a birdie fest from the off, but as players found their way to more exposed parts of the course, the scores began to slide back to level par and, in the end, only 3 players carded par or better on the day.

It was a tense clubhouse wait for the leader Stuart Allan, and in the end an 18th hole and putt that would test the mettle of anyone on Tour, saw the win go to Barry Cunningham, his first 18 hole victory since the 2013 Montgomery Cup.

Let’s catch-up with him and hear his thoughts on the day.

Congratulations on winning your first Order of Merit event - how does it feel?

“Thank you, yeah It feels great to win especially with such a strong field of players today. These events are certainly not easy to win so I’ll enjoy the moment!”

It comes hot on the heels of the Inchkeith Cup win in June - did this give you the boost to get a regular Tour win?

“Yeah, I think it did, getting that win last month was great, it maybe gave me a bit extra confidence today to just attack the course knowing pressure was off a little.”

You started today off with an eagle; did you feel your game was in a good place from the off?

“An eagle was a dream start; I couldn’t have asked for a better start. My golf game has been really good these last few months I just hoped to continue that today.”

You run off 2 pars and a bogey before carding a double bogey on the 5th, what was going through your mind at that point?

“The double bogey was a sore one as I had started well. I just said to myself there’s a lot of holes to go and just try and par the next hole and see what happens.”

You got to the turn with a birdie and an eagle in your back pocket - that must have felt good starting 10?

“Yeah that was a good stretch for me and I felt good swinging the club and just tried to focus getting through that hard stretch of holes.”

8 thru 12 is notoriously tough at Canmore but 4-under thru the loop was impressive playing, what was from there?

“I missed a 3ft birdie putt I think on 10 and just said to myself just keep doing what you’re doing, but yeah I played that stretch almost perfect.”

A pair of birdies set you up with 3-under with 2 to play, what goes through your mind then?

“I knew the scores at that point as I was scorer for the group, I just tried to stay relaxed and keep hitting it how I had all day, and I knew the chance to win was there.”

You came up 18 knowing a par was enough to win it, what was going through your mind when you found the front right bunker?

“The approach shot was the worst iron shot I hit all day, when it went in the bunker, I just hoped I had an ok lie... “

So, you get out the bunker and on to the fringe of the green, and your chip shot left you 4 feet, above the hole for the win. Talk us through what was going on as you stood over the putt on 18?

“A downhill right to left on a fast green was not ideal… I could see the line I just had to trust my touch…thankfully it went in.”

You now find yourself 2nd in the OoM, what's the aim for the rest of the season?

“The aim is always the same, can I catch the guy above.

That’s a REALLY TOUGH ask as Dave has strong lead, maybe if I can put in a strong performance at Lochgelly he’ll be looking over his shoulder a little… “

Well, there we have it folks your 2023 King’s Cup winner, Barry Cunningham. He adds this win to his Montgomery Cup win in 2013 and the Inchkeith Cup in 2023.

His win propels him up the OoM standings and he rightly has eyes for the top of the ladder with 2 events to go.

Join us on August 20th for the Lochgelly-Forrester Open to see how the regular season leaves the standing ahead of the Tour Championships on August 24th.

Until then, happy golfing.