As the Anstruther Medal signalled the start of the second half of the season we were straight back into Order of Merit competition.

With 4 events already in the bag the players arrived at Canmore Golf Club for the King’s Cup. The event is one of the few on the Order of Merit rota that doesn’t boast a multiple winner throughout its history and the short but firm course always creates an exciting tournament.

The excitement was strangled out of the competition in 2024 however as Stephen Orr took the course apart and left the field in his wake shooting a 5-under par 62.

We sat down with Orr, who now has two Order of Merit wins to his name following his Kinghorn Classic win in 2023, to get his reaction to the result.

Congratulations on your win today - how does it feel to lift the King's Cup?

“I’m absolutely buzzing to be honest with you. As soon as I hit that nice looking 3 wood over the left bunker for my opening tee shot, I had a feeling that it was going to be a good round, and it was, despite a little blip here and there.”

This is your 2nd win in as many years, do you feel this establishes yourself in the top of players on Tour now?

“I feel confident in competing with the rest of field more often after that win today. However, I would say that despite David, who’s always there or there abouts each tournament, I genuinely feel that on their day, most guys in the field can win.

So, this win today gives me more hope for a future win, but being a top player? I don’t know about that, as there are some very good players on the Tour.”

You opened birdie-birdie, does this change your strategy to the day?

“Not necessarily. The strategy was to be confident in each shot I was aiming to hit.

I know I have that infamous Stevie Orr blow up in me, so I mainly play on a shot-by-shot basis and try not to get too caught up so much if I hit a poor shot here or there.

However, the opening two holes certainly helped my momentum going into my next few holes.”

You were 3-under at the turn, heading into the difficult 10-13 stretch, what's the mentality here?

“I was really happy with my game so far, standing at the 10th tee and hit another good tee shot. I don’t fear the 10th as much as the next three holes. A par on 10 was handy as the next three holes are about clinging on to your score for me, which I managed to do. Holes 11 & 12 specifically are holes that can make or break your score.”

Your first blip on the card came on the 11th when you found the green side bunker, how do you steady yourself after that?

“I felt like I hit two good shots on the 11th but finding myself pin high in the bunker was slightly deflating. I had trust in my new wedges which gave me great confidence greenside. I said to myself that there are more favourable holes coming up to try and regain what shots I lost there. Stay positive and hope everything comes up, which it did in the end”

You steadied the ship after your bogey on 11 and followed it with a birdie on 12 but on 14 you found OB, talk us through what you were thinking then?

“I usually play the 14th quite well at Canmore. My drive wasn’t too bad. Slightly down the 18th fairway, but a good strike and gave myself a line in to the green. The line required to go slightly over the trees, which of course resulted in me hitting a cracking bullet with my gap wedge OB. I had to steady myself and take my medicine, knowing that there were possibly more holes to score on coming up.”

You romped home with a birdie-birdie-birdie finish, for the largest winning margin of the year so far, looking at your overall performance how did that feel?

“I felt like I played the last three holes very well and was close to getting a net eagle on 18 and lipped out. It was a great sensation knocking in the next putt, knowing that nobody could catch up. I’m still on a bit of a buzz from it all.

I’m still slightly perplexed as to what I did differently today, than say at Saline, but golf is a funny game at times. Nice day, nice round and a very nice result.”

You've got an exemption now from Q-School and with the impending arrival of your first child, does this mean you can now relax and watch the rest of the OoM play out?

“I wouldn’t say that I’ll be relaxing too much. I’ll be keeping an eye on proceedings at Lochgelly and Craigielaw, which I’d love to play in and improve on my points total further, but it is nice knowing that relegation is not on the cards.

Overall, I’m very happy with how this season has gone, as I’ve been more consistent with points finishes, and at the higher end of the points also, which is a bonus.

Compare that to last season where I was all over the place.

Good luck to all of the guys for the remainder of the season and hoping to see more winners.”

Orr’s win was majestic and as we watched him proceed round the course, he was metronomic tee to green and once the ball got rolling on the green his confidence with the flat stick was unparalleled.

However, it was amazing again to see golf and fate align. Orr, who is expecting his first child early August knew his season was going to end at Canmore, and for him to put in the performance of the season and secure his exemption from Q-School, you couldn’t quite write.

Congratulations to Orr on his win and to Mr and Mrs Orr on the impending arrival.

The next event is the final regular season event the Lochgelly-Forrester Open, join us on August 18th for the news, reviews and analysis from behind the season.