Popular actor Matthew Goode, who is returning to the hugely successful TV drama series Downton Abbey this autumn, is to play in this week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews.
Goode, who plays the character Henry Talbot in Downton Abbey, has enjoyed a long list of successes which includes films like Match Point, A Single Man and The Imitation Game, the TV remake of Brideshead Revisited and CBS legal drama The Good Wife.
He joins a golfing cast which includes other celebrated stars of entertainment such as Hollywood actor Hugh Grant and rock music giants Ronan Keating, Huey Lewis and Don Felder of the Eagles. Also joining the amateur golfers are Sam McTrusty, lead singer of Glasgow band Twin Atlantic, and Johnathan Joseph, better known as radio broadcaster DJ Spooney.
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.
There are many great sporting legends in the field, celebrating the 15th staging of this classic event, which raises significant funds for charity through the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation.
Italy’s Alessandro del Piero and Ukraine’s Andriy Shevchenko are the latest international football stars to confirm they will play alongside Michael Ballack, Johan Cruyff and Ruud Gullit, while cricketers Michael Vaughan, Mark Boucher, Allan Lamb and Jacques Kallis will now be playing as well as Shane Warne, Kevin Pietersen and Sir Ian Botham, who is teeing off for the 15th time.
Olympic rowing legend Sir Steve Redgrave is also playing for the 15th time, while record-breaking jump jockey A.P.McCoy makes his debut. World Cup skier Franz Klammer and popular Wimbledon hero Tim Henman are also in the field.
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.
No fewer than ten Major Championship winners will be playing this year: Stewart Cink, Darren Clarke, John Daly, Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington, Martin Kaymer, Paul Lawrie, Graeme McDowell, Charl Schwartzel and Y.E.Yang.
Also playing are US Tour players Brooks Koepka, ranked 17th in the world, Erik Compton, who has had two heart transplants, Ireland’s Shane Lowry, fresh from his victory in the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in August and Ryder Cup stars Luke Donald, Jamie Donaldson and Lee Westwood.
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 Foundation is committed to developing young amateur golfers in Scotland and South Africa and also supports the University of St Andrews and the St Andrews Pilgrim Foundation, which refurbishes and preserves 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
