The DP World Tour is back in Scotland this week for its one and only pro-am event, with a number of Ryder Cup stars teeing it up and Golf News has everything you need to know ahead of Thursday’s first tee-off.
Tournament History
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship may only date back to 2001, but in just over two decades it has firmly established itself as a Tour tradition. This year marks the 24th edition.
The format pairs top professionals with celebrity amateurs across three of the world’s most iconic links courses. After three rounds, those who make the cut return to St Andrews, the 2022 Open Championship venue, for a final Sunday showdown.
The field includes several Ryder Cup stars, with Tyrrell Hatton aiming not only to defend his crown but also to claim a record-equalling fourth victory.
Event Format
-
Each professional partners with one amateur.
-
Over the first three days, teams rotate across three separate courses: St Andrews, Carnoustie, and Kingsbarns.
-
After round three, the top 60 professionals (and ties), along with the top 20 teams, qualify for Sunday’s finale at St Andrews.
- Celebrities taking part in this year’s tournament include Michael Douglas, Andy Murray, Ronan Keating and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
The Venues
St Andrews (Old Course), Fife
-
Par 72 | 7,318 yards
Known as the “Old Lady” and widely regarded as the “Home of Golf,” St Andrews hosts The Open every five years and remains the bucket-list course for golfers worldwide. Conditions dictate everything here: calm weather can yield very low scores, as Ross Fisher proved with his course-record 61 in 2017, matched by Hatton last year.
The par-four 17th, the legendary “Road Hole,” is the course’s most formidable challenge. Expect tougher scoring on the back nine, particularly between holes 11 and 17. Greens are typically set around 10 on the stimp-meter.
Carnoustie, Angus
-
Par 72 | 7,394 yards
Carnoustie has staged eight Open Championships, including Francesco Molinari’s victory in 2018 and Padraig Harrington’s dramatic playoff win over Sergio Garcia in 2007. But perhaps its most infamous chapter came in 1999, when Jean van de Velde squandered a three-shot lead on the 72nd hole.
Nicknamed “Carnasty,” the course is renowned for deep pot bunkers and brutal difficulty. For this event, however, it’s set up slightly softer to give amateurs a fighting chance. Still, it remains the toughest of the three. Greens usually run at 10.5 on the stimp-meter.
Kingsbarns, Fife
-
Par 72 | 7,227 yards
Just seven miles from St Andrews, Kingsbarns is a modern classic designed by Kyle Phillips and opened in 2000. With wide fairways and minimal water hazards, it’s forgiving in calm conditions but can quickly bare its teeth in the wind.
Branden Grace’s opening 60 here in 2012 remains a benchmark. Greens are expected to run at 9.5 on the stimpmeter.
Weather & TV Coverage
-
Weather: Changeable, as ever with Scottish links golf. Conditions will play a huge role in scoring.
-
TV: Live coverage on Sky Sports all four days, beginning at midday Thursday.
Last 10 Champions
-
2024 – Tyrrell Hatton (-24) |
-
2023 – Matt Fitzpatrick (-19, 54 holes) |
-
2022 – Ryan Fox (-15) |
-
2021 – Danny Willett (-18) |
-
2020 – Cancelled
-
2019 – Victor Perez (-22) |
-
2018 – Lucas Bjerregaard (-15) |
-
2017 – Tyrrell Hatton (-24) |
-
2016 – Tyrrell Hatton (-23) |
-
2015 – Thorbjorn Olesen (-18) |
-
2014 – Oliver Wilson (-17) |
Selected Latest Betting Odds
Tommy Fleetwood 6/1
Tyrrell Hatton 15/2
Matt Fitzpatrick 10/1
Robert MacIntyre 12/1
Marco Penge 18/1
Brooks Koepka 22/1
Patrick Reed 22/1
Cam Smith 28/1
Dustin Johnson 40/1
Each Way 1/5 odds, 6 places with Betway
What Does It Take to Win Here?
Driving stats rarely tell the story. Fitzpatrick, the 2023 champion, ranked just 123rd in Driving Distance and 53rd in Accuracy. Even Hatton, who claimed the title last year, sat only 33rd and 23rd in those categories.
Instead, Greens in Regulation (GIR) is the decisive metric. Eleven of the past 13 winners ranked inside the top 10 for GIR, with Fitzpatrick leading the field in 2023 and Fox ranking ninth in 2022.
This event is typically a birdie-fest, thanks to friendlier course setups to accommodate amateurs. Scoring on par fours often separates the winner from the pack—four of the last seven champions topped the par-four stats.
Hatton’s winning total of -24 last year matched his 2017 record and highlighted his love affair with this event, particularly when conditions are calm.
For full betting odds visit Betway
Read the full article here