The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is one of the world’s leading golf events. A truly international championship, it is a magnet for golfers from every corner of the world and is one of the most prestigious tournaments on the European Tour.
The first Championship was staged in 2001, but before then Alfred Dunhill’s connection with St Andrews, through the Alfred Dunhill Cup, goes back to 1985, giving an unbroken span of 26 years of supporting golf at St Andrews.
A celebration of links golf, which many believe is the purest form of the game, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is played over three magnificent links courses – the Old Course (St Andrews), the Championship Course, Carnoustie (near Dundee) and Kingsbarns (10km south of St Andrews).
The Old Course at St Andrews is the most famous and most historic golf course in the world. For golfers everywhere the Old Course is a unique and special place. Here history and sport come together in a magical way. Golf has been played over these links for hundreds of years. It is universally acknowledged as the ‘Home of Golf’. The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is the only major professional tournament played every year at St Andrews.
The European Tour event boasts a £3.1 million prize fund and the likes of US Open champion Rory McIlroy, Open champion Darren Clarke, world number two Lee Westwood and defending champion Martin Kaymer are expected to line up on the magnificent links in the East Neuk of Fife. Click here for more golf gossip around the forthcoming championshps.
The tournament is a pro-am, with teams of one professional and one amateur playing one round each at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. Following these first three rounds there is a cut, with the leading 60 professionals continuing on to play in the final round at St Andrews. They are joined by the leading 20 teams, regardless of whether the professional member of the team made the cut individually. Many of the amateurs are well known personalities from the worlds of sport and entertainment. These have included Nigel Mansell, Ian Botham, Gary Lineker, Boris Becker, Michael Douglas, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Vaughan, Sir Matthew Pinsent, Hugh Grant and Shane Warne.
To see who comes out on top and for some celebrity spotting entrance to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship will be FREE at all three courses on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. A ticket price of £15 (concessionary £10) will be charged for the final day’s play over the Old Course on Sunday, October 2. Entry for under-16s and students is free. Tickets are available through the ticket hotline on 0870 010 9021 or at the entrance gates.
Are any of you visiting the Championships this year? Do tell!