Jamie Dornan, the star of the much-anticipated film version of Fifty Shades of Grey, is to make his debut later this week in the celebrity-studded Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Dornan, from Holywood in Northern Ireland, the same town as World Number One Rory McIlroy, who is also playing in the Championship, has the title role of Christian Grey in the film, which is due to be released early next year. The trilogy by E.L.James has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide.
Also highly praised for his portrayal of serial killer Paul Spector in the BBC TV drama The Fall, Dornan said: “I can't wait to play in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship this week. I'll be one of two people playing from Holywood, County Down. The other being Rory McIlroy. I'd say your money's safer with Rory."
Others making their debut this year are Damian Lewis, best known for portraying Marine Sergeant Nicholas Brody in the TV series Homeland, which earned him an Emmy and a Golden Globe, and Major Richard Winters in the HBO mini-series Band of Brothers, and entrepreneur Peter Jones, panelist on UK television series Dragons' Den.
The field contains a host of celebrity amateurs from the world of entertainment which includes film and TV stars Bill Murray, Hugh Grant, Greg Kinnear and Kyle MacLachlan and rock music legends Don Felder of the Eagles, Huey Lewis and Tico Torres from Bon Jovi.
Also making their debut are three world-famous sportsmen – Ireland’s retired rugby legend Brian O’Driscoll, and footballers Michael Ballack of Germany and Luis Figo of Portugal.
Ballack and Figo are joined by a legendary group of former footballers - Sir Bobby Charlton and Jamie Redknapp of England, Alan Hansen of Scotland and Johan Cruyff and Ruud Gullit of Holland.
Cricketers in the field include England’s Sir Ian Botham, Michael Vaughan and Allan Lamb, Australian spin bowling wizard Shane Warne and South Africa’s Mark Boucher, who holds the record for the most Test dismissals by a wicket-keeper. Among other sports stars competing are Olympic rowing legend Sir Steve Redgrave, former British tennis Number One Tim Henman, Formula One world champion Damon Hill and downhill ski ace Franz Klammer.
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.
