Padraig Harrington will tee up at St Andrews this autumn bidding for an historic third victory in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, a challenge which the Irish Major Champion describes as “one of my big opportunities of the year”.
The three-time Major winner, who won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2002 and 2006, said: “I wouldn’t be there if I didn’t think I could win. Every time you put me on a links golf course, I definitely have an advantage. I love playing links golf, I love the event, I love the social side of the Dunhill. It’s right at the top as an enjoyable week. Not just because we’re in St Andrews, not just because we’re on the Old Course, but there’s a great atmosphere about it.”
Harrington’s confidence in part comes from his excellent performance in last month’s Open Championship at St Andrews, where he led after 59 holes.
He said: “Obviously you would like to be leading after 72 holes, but I was comfortable and well in there. I didn’t finish it off, but there were plenty of positives. I felt good about my game at that stage. To be leading the tournament with only 13 holes to go, you have to think you have a great chance. Then I hit an aggressive shot on the sixth into a bush, and thought I was a little unlucky to lose my ball.”
Harrington believes playing the Alfred Dunhill Links every year has been a significant help when The Open has been held at St Andrews or Carnoustie, where he won in 2009.
“It’s a major factor,” he added.
“I wish every time I turned up to play a tournament, I knew the course as well as I know St Andrews, from playing the Dunhill, having won there twice. And I do have a special feeling for Carnoustie. They say it’s too tough a golf course to love, it’s a course you respect.
“When I get on the fist tee at Carnoustie, I get a genuine round of applause. You get reminded of it all from 2009. Then when I get to the 18th, it’s such an intimidating hole, but who can forget what I did there and what everyone has done there?”
A world-class field of professionals will team up with some of the biggest names from entertainment and sport from October 1-4 to share the drama and excitement of the 15th edition of the event.
In recent years, Bill Murray, Damian Lewis, Jamie Dornan, Hugh Grant and Andy Garcia have shared the fairways with sporting greats like Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Ian Botham, Shane Warne, Michael Phelps, Luis Figo, Johan Cruyff and Jamie Redknapp.
And they have partnered some of the world’s top golfers including Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald, Dustin Johnson, Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Colin Montgomerie, Ernie Els, Louis Oosthuizen, Paul Casey and Branden Grace.
The Championship is a celebration of links golf at its finest played over three magnificent links courses: the Old Course (St Andrews), the Championship Course, Carnoustie (near Dundee) and Kingsbarns (10km south of St Andrews).
Harrington believes both his Alfred Dunhill Links Championship wins were significant in his career, saying: “My win in 2002 was a bit of a comeback for me. It was a big win and it was nice to win both the team and individual events. There’s something missing if you don’t win both of them. Both times I’ve won with my amateur, JP McManus, who has helped me along. It’s a big part of the event having the amateur there, and it definitely gets you up. In both my wins, that was a big factor.”
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is the only professional tournament played every year over the Old Course. The first tournament in its current format was held in 2001 and won by Paul Lawrie, with Ernie Els second and David Howell third. The 2014 Championship was won by Oliver Wilson, who will be back in St Andrews in October to defend his title.
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship has a unique format. With a prize fund of US$5 million, all 168 professionals and their amateur playing partners play each of the three courses over the first three days, with the final round being contested over the Old Course.
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 advancehere
