The final pairing was on the tee for the fourth and last round of the 2025 Battle Trophy and the opening event of a new Scottish Golf men’s golfing season again being hosted by Crail Golfing Society in the East Neuk of Fife.

This year also marked the 25th hosting of the tournament on the acclaimed Craighead Links course.

Seventy-one players teed-up starting early on Saturday morning with Crail members Andrew Davidson and Fraser Carr along with New Club of St. Andrews member Ewen Farquhar out in the opening three ball.

Both Crail players made the nine-over halfway cut with Andrew posting a first round level par 72 before seizing an impressive four-stroke second round lead thanks to a sizzling 66 that included a first hole eagle ‘3’ and then a birdie ‘3’ at the second to end the round four shots clear of his nearest rival and with the top-40 through to Sunday’s final two rounds.

Being a long-time member at Crail I have always enjoyed helping out with regards media matters at the Battle Trophy, such as preparing reports after each of the four rounds, despatching them to my many colleagues and while posting images onto both the club’s ‘X’ account and our own @TOURMISS ‘X’ social media pages.

I undertook this on Saturday and then on Sunday, firstly writing-up a third- round report and also arranging a commemorative photograph on the tee of the final pairing of Andrew and his playing partner, James Wood from the Bathgate club.  James was the reigning Scottish Boys Champion while Andrew was a past Wales Stroke-Play winner and had won the 2023 East of Scotland Championship.

Crail’s Andrew Davidson and Bathgate’s James Wood the last pairing on day four of the 2025 Battle Trophy (Image – @TourMiss)

It was Andrew who quickly threw down the gauntlet, and as he had done at the start of round two by eagling the par-5 opening hole hitting a 5-iron to 10-feet while James horribly three-putted for par.

However there was drama at the ‘blind’, slightly dog-leg, uphill par-4 third hole with Andrew forced into playing a provisional shot after his first went well right into an area of small trees, broken stumps and deep rough down the rightside of the hole.

At this early stage of the final match there was just four persons in the group, Andrew and James along with Andrew’s father Jack and myself.

I was walking with Andrew down the right of the third before joining-in searching for his ball though with time running out, Andrew chose to head to his ‘provisional’ while I felt I would keep searching.

No sooner did I notice a almost completely buried golf ball and called out to Andrew: “Andrew?  What ball are you playing?”.  He called back from the fairway:  “A Titleist 4 with a blue dot.  It also has a blue line on it”.

Andrew Davidson plays from rough down the right of the third hole after your author found his ball during the final round 2025 Battle Trophy. Image @TourMiss

I could clearly see it was a Titleist ‘4’ and also sporting a blue dot before I bent down to gently brush back some grass that reveaed the blue line.  I quickly replied:  “Andrew?  This is your ball”.

A relieved Andrew returned to correctly identify his ball and I recall advising him to be careful that there was no cut tree stump under his ball to avoid any injury ahead of him superbly ‘digging’ out his ball and finding the edge of the green with that his second shot but only for him to three-putt for a bogey ‘5’.

Maybe he could have saved par or taken a bogey playing his provisional but he remarked to me that he was just happy I had found his ball and knowing where it had landed.

Though that was not the end of his concern as his motorised golf trolley broke down near the fourth green with battery trouble.  I said to him I can get a replacement trolley and Andrew said: “That would be great but a pull trolley will be fine”.

I hurried off in the direction of the clubhouse where the first person I bumped into was club member Fraser (Carr), who had completed his four rounds and was in the proccess of loading his clubs and motorised buggy into his van.

I mentioned to Fraser, Andrew’s plight and he didn’t hesitate remarking: “No, take my buggy out to Andrew and ask him to simply drop if off at my house later tonight”. I commented: “Good man, Fraser.  I will”.

The Crail Pro Shop gave the me the key to a motorised buggy, so I loaded-up the Fraser’s buggy and caught-up with Andrew on the sixth tee where Andrew swapped motorised trolleys.

Andrew was very thankful and I grabbed the chance to ask what he did at the par-3 fifth hole, knowing he had pared the fourth.  He responded: “I put it close and holed the birdie putt”. So, that was back to three-under through five holes for Andrew.

In leaving Andrew to return to the clubhouse I cheekily commented: “You know, I’m out here to write about your efforts but not be part of the story”.  He also laughed remarking:  “No, you’re already are a big part of the story.”

I headed back to the clubhouse to return the motorised cart and also Andrew’s trolley to the locker-room before catching-up with Andrew and James at the 13th hole.

However, there was a second ball-searching moment to the right of the 16th green when I found Andrew’s tee shot in light right rough but on this occaion I just happened to be first on the scene and it was always going to be located.  Andrew joked: “I better arrange to have you attend all the tournaments I’m competing, as you’ve been a great help”.

Andrew had pared holes six to 16, three-putted the par-3 17th and one-putted the last for par in a round of a two-under 70 to comfortably win by four shots and a nine-under tally.

One of my first post final round tasks was the pleasure to arrange for an 18th green/flagstick photograph of the new Battle Trophy winner Andrew with his father Jack.

New Battle Trophy champion Andrew Davidson and his father Jack moments after securing victory. Image @TourMiss

Good friends, fellow competitors and also fellow Crail members Fraser Carr (left) and new Battle Trophy winner Andrew Davidson – Returning Fraser’s motorised buggy to Fraser. Image – @TourMiss

Fraser also there waiting at the back of the green and warmly congratulated Andrew, and with Andrew expressing his grateful for the use of Fraser’s buggy.

I was just happy to see Andrew win as he had been clearly the best player over the closing three rounds.

Just another day in the role of a golf journalist (smiling broadly).

For the full tournament report click on: http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2025/04/davidson-ends-22-year-home-drought-capturing-crails-battle-trophy/