As the dust settles on Scotland’s hugely successful staging of The 2014 Ryder Cup, the Home of Golf remains at the centre of the sporting spotlight this week, when three of the country’s finest links courses host the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Four of the victorious European Team, along with Captain Paul McGinley, will make the short journey from Gleneagles to Scotland’s east coast, to join an all-star cast of celebrities in the pro-am format at Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and the Old Course at St Andrews.
World Number One McIlroy will be hoping to cap a stunning personal season that has yielded two Major Championships with yet another victory, as he returns to the event for the first time since finishing runner up to fellow Northern Irishman Michael Hoey in 2011. McIlroy has a strong record in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, having also finished runner up in 2009, while he also recorded top ten finishes in the two years prior to that.
His teammate Kaymer won the title in 2010, fresh from being part of the winning European Team at The Celtic Manor Resort, and like McIlroy, the German will looking for more success in a season that has brought glory in the Major Championships.
Gallacher is also a past champion, having won the tournament in 2004, while Dubuisson, who finished fifth two years ago, will be keen to build on his impressive, undefeated debut in The Ryder Cup last week.
Defending champion is Englishman David Howell, the former Ryder Cup player, who defeated American Peter Uihlein 12 months ago to claim his fifth European Tour title and first since 2006.
There is also a strong South African contingent in the field, including Major Champions Ernie Els, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, along with Branden Grace, the 2012 champion.
