The DP World Tour is again in Scotland this week for its one and solely pro-am occasion, with plenty of Ryder Cup stars teeing it up and Golf Information has every part you could know forward of Thursday’s first tee-off.
Match Historical past
The Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship could solely date again to 2001, however in simply over 20 years it has firmly established itself as a Tour custom. This yr marks the twenty fourth version.
The format pairs prime professionals with movie star amateurs throughout three of the world’s most iconic hyperlinks programs. After three rounds, those that make the reduce return to St Andrews, the 2022 Open Championship venue, for a closing Sunday showdown.
The sphere contains a number of Ryder Cup stars, with Tyrrell Hatton aiming not solely to defend his crown but in addition to assert a record-equalling fourth victory.
Occasion Format
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Every skilled companions with one newbie.
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Over the primary three days, groups rotate throughout three separate programs: St Andrews, Carnoustie, and Kingsbarns.
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After spherical three, the highest 60 professionals (and ties), together with the highest 20 groups, qualify for Sunday’s finale at St Andrews.
- Celebrities collaborating on this yr’s event embody Michael Douglas, Andy Murray, Ronan Keating and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Catherine Zeta-Jones might be in motion this week
The Venues
St Andrews (Outdated Course), Fife
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Par 72 | 7,318 yards
Referred to as the “Outdated Girl” and extensively considered the “Dwelling of Golf,” St Andrews hosts The Open each 5 years and stays the bucket-list course for golfers worldwide. Circumstances dictate every part right here: calm climate can yield very low scores, as Ross Fisher proved along with his course-record 61 in 2017, matched by Hatton final yr.
The par-four seventeenth, the legendary “Highway Gap,” is the course’s most formidable problem. Anticipate harder scoring on the again 9, notably between holes 11 and 17. Greens are sometimes set round 10 on the stimp-meter.
Carnoustie, Angus
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Par 72 | 7,394 yards
Carnoustie has staged eight Open Championships, together with Francesco Molinari’s victory in 2018 and Padraig Harrington’s dramatic playoff win over Sergio Garcia in 2007. However maybe its most notorious chapter got here in 1999, when Jean van de Velde squandered a three-shot lead on the 72nd gap.
Nicknamed “Carnasty,” the course is famend for deep pot bunkers and brutal issue. For this occasion, nevertheless, it’s arrange barely softer to offer amateurs a combating probability. Nonetheless, it stays the hardest of the three. Greens normally run at 10.5 on the stimp-meter.
Kingsbarns, Fife
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Par 72 | 7,227 yards
Simply seven miles from St Andrews, Kingsbarns is a contemporary traditional designed by Kyle Phillips and opened in 2000. With vast fairways and minimal water hazards, it’s forgiving in calm situations however can shortly naked its tooth within the wind.
Branden Grace’s opening 60 right here in 2012 stays a benchmark. Greens are anticipated to run at 9.5 on the stimpmeter.
Climate & TV Protection
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Climate: Changeable, as ever with Scottish hyperlinks golf. Circumstances will play an enormous function in scoring.
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TV: Dwell protection on Sky Sports activities all 4 days, starting at noon Thursday.
Final 10 Champions
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2024 – Tyrrell Hatton (-24) |
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2023 – Matt Fitzpatrick (-19, 54 holes) |
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2022 – Ryan Fox (-15) |
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2021 – Danny Willett (-18) |
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2020 – Cancelled
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2019 – Victor Perez (-22) |
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2018 – Lucas Bjerregaard (-15) |
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2017 – Tyrrell Hatton (-24) |
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2016 – Tyrrell Hatton (-23) |
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2015 – Thorbjorn Olesen (-18) |
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2014 – Oliver Wilson (-17) |
Selected Latest Betting Odds
Tommy Fleetwood 6/1
Tyrrell Hatton 15/2
Matt Fitzpatrick 10/1
Robert MacIntyre 12/1
Marco Penge 18/1
Brooks Koepka 22/1
Patrick Reed 22/1
Cam Smith 28/1
Dustin Johnson 40/1
Every Means 1/5 odds, 6 locations with Betway
What Does It Take to Win Right here?
Driving stats not often inform the story. Fitzpatrick, the 2023 champion, ranked simply 123rd in Driving Distance and 53rd in Accuracy. Even Hatton, who claimed the title final yr, sat solely thirty third and twenty third in these classes.
As an alternative, Greens in Regulation (GIR) is the decisive metric. Eleven of the previous 13 winners ranked inside the highest 10 for GIR, with Fitzpatrick main the sector in 2023 and Fox rating ninth in 2022.
This occasion is usually a birdie-fest, because of friendlier course setups to accommodate amateurs. Scoring on par fours typically separates the winner from the pack—4 of the final seven champions topped the par-four stats.
Hatton’s profitable complete of -24 final yr matched his 2017 report and highlighted his love affair with this occasion, notably when situations are calm.
For full betting odds go to Betway
