A classic line-up of Major Championship winners will be playing in next month’s 15th Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, including Scotland’s Paul Lawrie, who won the very first staging of the event in 2001.
Winner of The Open Championship at Carnoustie in 1999, Lawrie joins a strong field which includes other Major Champions: Stewart Cink, Darren Clarke, John Daly, Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Y.E.Yang.
Lawrie, who has played in all 15 Alfred Dunhill Links Championships, is in hot pursuit of a second victory. He said: “My game is in good shape. It has been coming round for quite a while. My putting has improved, I’m rolling the ball much better, so why not this year’s Dunhill Links. I’ve always loved it. The event is played in Scotland, it’s played on three of our best golf courses. I always really enjoy the week.”
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, which takes place from October 1-4, celebrates links golf at its finest and is played over three of the world’s best known and respected links courses – the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie and the highly regarded Kingsbarns Golf Links.
Louis Oosthuizen, who narrowly missed winning his second Open Championship Claret Jug in a dramatic play-off at St Andrews in July, which was won by Zach Johnson, will be back on the Old Course, hoping for a different result this time.
Following the play-off in The Open, Oosthuizen said: “I'll take a lot out of this week. I was really motivated to win the Open Championship. I love this place. I've said it a thousand times. I can't wait to be back here again for the Alfred Dunhill Links. It's always a pleasure to play in that event. I'd love to have a win in that on my CV.”
Also playing are Brooks Koepka, ranked 17th in the world, Sean O’Hair, Pat Perez and Erik Compton, who has had two heart transplants, former winner Branden Grace and Ireland’s Shane Lowry, fresh from his victory in the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in August.
England’s Lee Westwood, winner in 2003, Danny Willett, who won the Omega European Masters in July and had an excellent performance in The Open at St Andrews, Ryder Cup stars Thomas Bjørn, Luke Donald and Jamie Donaldson, and 2014 European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley are all in the field.
Scotland will be well represented not just by Lawrie, but by another former winner Stephen Gallacher, champion in 2004, and many talented challengers, including Richie Ramsay, Marc Warren and former Amateur Champion Bradley Neil, who played as an amateur in the 2013 Alfred Dunhill Links. Defending champion Oliver Wilson will be returning to St Andrews, hoping to become the first golfer to win back-to-back Alfred Dunhill Links titles.
With a prize fund of US$5 million, the championship incorporates two separate competitions - an individual professional tournament for the world's leading golfers and a team event in which the professionals are paired with some of the most celebrated amateur golfers which creates a unique atmosphere.
In June 2011 the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation was established as the official Foundation of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, formalising years of charitable giving from which a variety of causes have benefitted. Since 2001, playing spots have been donated to more than 50 different charities to help them to raise funds.
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is directly committed to developing young amateur golfers in Scotland and South Africa. The Foundation also supports the University of St Andrews and the St Andrews Pilgrim Foundation, which supports the refurbishment and preservation of historical monuments in the town.
Admission is free for all spectators over the first three days with final day tickets on Sunday, October 4 available to purchase at the entrance gates for £20 (Seniors £15) or in advance athttp://bit.ly/1RvYset
