Alfred Dunhill Links Championship After last week’s thrilling Ryder Cup, the European Tour heads to Scotland for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship this week. Tyrrell Hatton defends and three others who competed in Paris will tee it up. Three-time Major champion Brooks Koepka will play on the links this week. The American last competed in the event back in 2015 when he finished runner-up to Thorbjorn Olesen. He will be joined on the start sheet by his USA Ryder Cup teammate Tony Finau, plus victorious European team player Tommy Fleetwood. Two competitions run concurrently at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Firstly, a professional 72-hole strokeplay tournament and, secondly, a pro-am competition where the lowest score between the professional and his amateur partner is taken at each hole. The first three rounds are played over St Andrews Old Course, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie and those who make the cut play a final round over the Old Course. The split of venues provides spectators with a unique opportunity to get close to the professionals and to their famous partners. Among the celebrity amateurs playing are: actors Hugh Grant and Kyle MacLachlan, sports stars Kevin Pietersen, Wladimir Klitschko, Brian O’Driscoll, Sir Steve Redgrave and Shane Warne and musicians Huey Lewis and Tico Torres. The Dunhill Links Championship was first contested in 2001 when Paul Lawrie was the champion. He holed a putt from the Valley of Sin to take the title by a single stroke. In the following years this event was won by some of the European Tour’s biggest stars. Padraig Harrington has twice been victorious and Lee Westwood, Colin Montgomerie, Robert Karlsson, Martin Kaymer, Branden Grace and Thorbjorn Olesen have all been champions. Last year, Tyrrell Hatton made a successful defence of his title. He finished on 24-under-par, three clear of Ross Fisher who carded an incredible 61 in the final round at St Andrews. Players to watch: Tyrrell Hatton – He will be attempting to make it three wins in a row in this event, who might stop him achieving that goal? Ross Fisher – He’s been a runner-up in this event on three occasions, including the last two seasons. He hasn’t been playing his best stuff in recent weeks but four solid rounds in the Portugal Masters suggests he could be coming back into form. Brandon Stone – The Scottish Open champion has proved his skill on the links and he’s continued to play well, he was tied 12th in the USPGA Championship. Eddie Pepperell – The Englishman has played well in this event before and has been on a great run in recent weeks. He followed a tie for sixth in the KLM Open with a tie for second in the Portugal Masters.
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