The dust has barely settled on a breakneck Montgomery Cup that saw 7 players shoot level par or better a tournament best results in both the Montgomery Cup and Bruce Shield, however we’ve now got the Invitational in our sights!

It’s always a great event, with a field creamed from the top of the Montgomery Cup standings with the top 8 locking horns in the second Major of the season.

The 2025 field is stacked, we’ve got the last two winners David McColgan and Kevin Brannan back, we’ve got the Montgomery Cup winner Stuart Sutherland and the Bruce Shield winner Scott Gowens, 3-time Order of Merit event winners Paul Gowens and Richard Mair, former St Andrews Open winner Alan Duncan and Daniel Peck and Joel Morrison completing the field.

In total the field holds 16 Majors, 19 Order of Merit event wins and 13 other Tour honours – the From the Locker Room team sat down with them after their qualification was unveiled and got their instant reaction to the 2025 Invitational Tournament.

Congratulations on qualifying for the 2025 Invitational gents - how happy are you to be in the field for 2025?
Paul Gowens – who returns after his debut in 2024 said, “I am absolutely delighted as wasn’t sure if I had done enough and it is always good to qualify for this Major.”

Stuart Sutherland, winner of the Montgomery Cup in 2024 will be making his debut at the Invitational in 2025 said, “I am really excited to be part of it and get the opportunity to play at a golf course I’ve not played yet.”

Richard Mair, who suffered heartbreak on the 36th hole which cost him his maiden Major said, “quite chuffed to be making my 3rd appearance in a row. I enjoy playing Tulliallan so delighted to be in the field again.”

Joel Morrison, who is making his debut at Tulliallan said, “very happy. I’d been told this was a great day out so I was hopeful I could put a good round together and secure a place. Glad it came together on the day.”

Scott Gowens, our third rookie of 2025 said, “I am over the moon to be part of the field. Really looking forward to it.”

David McColgan, who had a winner’s exemption but managed to qualify outright for 2025 said, “it’s great to head back, I knew I had my exemption, but it sends a signal to the field when you’re one of the top 8 and deserve to be there.”

One for the rookies here – your results in the Montgomery Cup have secured you your first appearance at the Invitational - how excited are you to play in the event?

Joel Morrison said, “I am really looking forward to it. Another season and another new event for me.”

Scott Gowens said, “I wasn’t aware until the award ceremony that I had done so well on the day to qualify. Very excited to play in this Major next year.”

Stuart Sutherland said, “Just really echo what I said earlier, it’s an exciting opportunity and a new course for me, so really looking forward to it.”

Sticking with the rookies – what are you most looking forward to?

Sutherland said, “I’ve heard lots of good stories about the course and looking forward to getting the opportunity to play it.”

Morrison said, “another chance at a Major and perhaps the first step towards getting my own logo one day.”

Gowens Jr. said, “it’s got to be the opportunity to play in a top-quality field and testing myself against a top-quality field.”

We’ve got 6 players returning to action in the Invitational, what’s your take on the 4 debutants in the field - how hard a competition is the Invitational in your debut appearance?

Gowens Snr. said, “it’s two rounds and maintaining consistency over 36 holes can be tough especially in stroke play that said they are all here on merit!”

Mair said, “it’s a pretty tough 36-hole format. If you’re not used to it, it’s a quite a challenge. The course also gets a bit of getting used to. Experience round here is key.”

McColgan said, “look everyone of these guys qualified above me – so I am not sure I can go around poking too much into their game but, Tulliallan is a strange beast, and it can beat you up over the course of the day.
I am sure they’ll come prepared, but they better be ready to roll with the punches.”

Richard Mair and David McColgan are back in 2025 - are the fates already giving us a re-run of the 2024, can Mair redeem himself?

Morrison said, “I obviously wasn’t there, but I’ve heard the tales. I’d never count Mair out.”

Scott Gowens said, “it will be an exciting match up for sure, the storyline is there to be written.”

Paul Gowens said, “only time will tell but when it’s over more than one round McColgan’s consistency can be hard to beat.”

Let’s hear from the protagonist here – McColgan said, “there is no doubt Mair has shown what it takes to put a round together at Tulliallan, but he might need to remind himself you’ve got to put it together across 18, there’s no prizes for the best 17 holes in the EuroDov Tour.”

It’s not even October and shots are being fired, Mair said, “I’ve given Dave a few close runs this year. More recently at the Tour Champs. But in all honesty, they’ve been short lived. If I can get rid of the couple of heavy scoring holes in my game, I might be able to go one better this year, who knows.”

A very magnanimous response there from Mair, not rising to the verbal warfare being launched across the news desk and very well composed as Sutherland bellows out, “Mair, Mair, Mair…how do you like it, how do you like it” I assume in response to the original question.

Sticking with Sutherland’s belligerence, let's hear some super early predictions - who's your favourite to win it? Who is your outside bet?

Gowens Snr. said, “Let’s be clear anyone can win it, it’s a very strong field. If Stuart [Sutherland] can maintain his form of this season, he has to be up there but Dave [McColgan] over 36 holes has to be favourite. If Joel [Morrison] or Scott [Gowens] can play the way they did in the Montgomery Cup then they would be the outside bet.”

Stuart Sutherland, still bellowing out the disco tunes had one word for the From the Locker Room Team and that was, “⁠Mair!”

Richard Mair said, “Dave [McColgan] is the favourite. My outside bet is Stuart [Sutherland], he’s on a winning streak and wouldn’t be surprised to see that continuing.”

Joel Morrison inflicting some Tour warfare said, “I am going double SanWedge. Mair favourite, Peck outside bet.”

Scott Gowens said, “McColgan had a great year this year when it came to Majors. I think it would be naïve not to have him as a favourite. As for an outside bet a Major win sounds nice and let’s see if I can put it all together on the day.”

Our first player to back themselves, you’ve got to love it!

And the final predictions go to defending Champion, David McColgan, “well I’d like to put myself up there as a favourite, but truth is the stats don’t show me as totally dominant out there.

Tulliallan is a very fiddly course that requires accuracy over power, and I think that has to benefit Richard Mair.

Outside bet, I am going with Paul Gowens, he’s got the game to win around here, if he’s on his game we all might be blown out the water.”

Well, there we have it the reactions of some of the players in the 2025 Invitational Tournament.

We’ll have more in the build up and we’ll be there to cover all the news, insights and analysis from the day, so be sure to join us on the 4th May 2025 at Tulliallan Golf Club.