The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2026
Overview
Dates: October 1, 2026 to October 4, 2026
Location: Scotland
Course: St Andrews, Carnoustie & Kingsbarns
Course Par: 72
Course Length: 7375, 7394, 7227
Prize Purse: $6000000
Last Tournament Review:
It started badly for us as one of our selections, Patrick Reed, exited the picture in dramatic fashion. An opening-round 68 left him at four under par and firmly in contention, but the wheels came off on Friday. A disastrous front-nine 44 was followed by a withdrawal citing a wrist injury, bringing an abrupt and somewhat questionable end to his week.
Kristoffer Reitan, Tyrrell Hatton and Joaquin Niemann all spent time on the leaderboard before ultimately falling away as the tournament reached its conclusion. The one real bright spot was Aaron Rai, who continued his excellent record at this event with a runner-up finish, his fourth top-five result or better here in the last four years.
Rai, however, will be left wondering what might have been. Standing on the 18th fairway with 235 yards to the green and the tournament within his grasp, he surprisingly elected to lay up rather than attack. An eagle would have secured a place in the playoff, making the conservative play a difficult one to justify in hindsight.
He was not the only player left to rue a decision on the closing hole. Overnight leader Manuel Alvira also chose caution, but his lay-up found a bunker and the hole quickly unravelled. A damaging double-bogey seven dropped him from a share of the lead into a tie for fifth, costing him an estimated $350,000 in prize money in the process.
In the end, it was a closing stretch defined as much by missed opportunities as clutch execution, with several contenders leaving the course knowing the tournament had slipped through their fingers on the final hole.
Preview
Few tournaments in world golf blend history, championship golf, and celebrity appeal quite like the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Since its inception in 2001, the event has occupied a unique place on the DP World Tour schedule, combining elite professional competition with one of the sport’s most prestigious pro-am formats. Played across three legendary Scottish links courses and centred around the Home of Golf at St Andrews, it is often regarded as one of the most distinctive weeks in professional golf.
Tournament Format
The championship is modelled after the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, with every professional paired with an amateur partner. The field rotates over three courses during the opening three rounds:
Old Course at St Andrews 7375 yards
Carnoustie Golf Links 7394 yards
Kingsbarns Golf Links 7227 yards
Following 54 holes, the leading professionals and top pro-am teams advance to the final round, which is always played at St Andrews.
The format creates a fascinating dynamic. Players encounter three vastly different tests of links golf before tackling perhaps the most famous golf course in the world on Sunday.
Intersesting storylines:
Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick playing again with their parents. in 2022 Matt won with his mum Sue but this time Alex plays with Mum and Matt plays with dad, Russell.
Tyrrell going for his 4th win at the tournament.
Lots of European Ryder cup stars including the Captain Luke Donald.
Josh Hill, fresh from holing the winning putt at the Walker cup, turns pro and debuts at the event.
& a host of LIV players aiming for DP World points
The Three Host Courses
Old Course at St Andrews
Par 72 | 7,375 yards
The tournament’s spiritual centrepiece and the course that hosts the final round every year.
Characteristics
The oldest (apart from Mussleburgh) and most famous golf course in the world
Massive double greens
Shared fairways
Deep revetted bunkers
Relatively modest elevation changes
Constant exposure to coastal winds
Unlike modern championship layouts, St Andrews rarely overwhelms players with length. Instead, it demands creativity, strategic positioning, and an exceptional understanding of angle-based golf.
What Makes It Unique
The Old Course often appears benign in calm conditions, but its defence lies in:
Wind direction
Bunker placement
Strategic approaches
Enormous greens requiring precise distance control
Players frequently describe St Andrews as a “second-shot golf course” where proper positioning off the tee creates vastly different opportunities into the greens.
Statistical Tendencies
When conditions are calm, St Andrews often yields the lowest scores of the three venues. Birdie streaks are common, but poor strategic decisions can quickly lead to costly mistakes.
Carnoustie Golf Links
Par 72 | 7,394 yards
Often regarded as the most difficult course in The Open Championship rota.
Characteristics
The longest course in the rotation
Dense penal rough
Narrower driving corridors
Deep bunkering
Strong North Sea winds
Demanding closing stretch
Carnoustie is frequently nicknamed”Carnasty” due to its brutal championship setup.
What Makes It Different
Where St Andrews rewards imagination and Kingsbarns encourages scoring, Carnoustie places a premium on:
Driving accuracy
Ball striking
Discipline
Course management
Mistakes are punished more severely here than anywhere else in the rotation.
Key Challenge
The Barry Burn, which snakes through several finishing holes, remains one of the most famous hazards in championship golf.
Kingsbarns Golf Links
Par 72 | 7,227 yards
The modern addition to the rota and consistently one of the most popular courses among players.
Characteristics
Opened in 2000
Spectacular coastal views
Wider fairways
More receptive greens
Modern links design principles
Numerous scoring opportunities
While Kingsbarns is unquestionably a links course, it generally plays more generously than Carnoustie and requires less local knowledge than St Andrews.
What Makes It Different
Kingsbarns is typically:
The most visually stunning course
The most player-friendly setup
The course where birdies come easiest
Its modern design creates far more aerial opportunities than traditional links golf.
Comparing the Three Courses
Course Primary Defence Typical Reputation
St Andrews Strategy and wind Most historic
Carnoustie Difficulty and punishment Hardest
Kingsbarns Exposure and scoring volatility Easiest
For bettors and fantasy players, understanding the rota is critical. A player posting an early score at Kingsbarns may have an advantage over one tackling Carnoustie on the same day.
Purse and Tournament Prestige
The championship currently carries a US$5 million purse and remains one of the showcase events on the DP World Tour calendar.
While not among the tour’s Rolex Series events, the tournament’s prestige far exceeds what the prize fund alone might suggest because of:
St Andrews’ involvement
The historic links rota
Strong international fields
Major champions in attendance
Extensive global media coverage
High-profile celebrity participation
The event was introduced in 2001 as the successor to the long-running Alfred Dunhill Cup, which had been held from 1985 through 2000.
Previous Champions
The event has produced an impressive honour roll.
Year Winner
2025 Robert MacIntyre
2024 Tyrrell Hatton
2023 Matt Fitzpatrick
2022 Ryan Fox
2021 Danny Willett
2019 Victor Perez
2018 Lucas Bjerregaard
2017 Tyrrell Hatton
2016 Tyrrell Hatton
2015 Thorbjørn Olesen
2014 Oliver Wilson
2013 David Howell
2012 Branden Grace
2011 Michael Hoey
2010 Martin Kaymer
2009 Simon Dyson
2008 Robert Karlsson
2007 Nick Dougherty
2006 Pádraig Harrington
2005 Colin Montgomerie
2004 Stephen Gallacher
2003 Lee Westwood
2002 Pádraig Harrington
2001 Paul Lawrie
Most Successful Players
Tyrrell Hatton is the tournament’s most successful modern champion with three victories (2016, 2017, 2024).
Pádraig Harrington captured two titles (2002, 2006).
Hatton’s record is especially notable given how difficult it is to win repeatedly on a three-course rota with varying weather conditions.
The Celebrity Element
Perhaps no professional tournament outside Pebble Beach attracts a stronger collection of celebrity amateurs.
Over the years, participants have included:
Actors & Entertainment
Michael Douglas
Samuel L. Jackson
Hugh Grant
Bill Murray
Andy Garcia
Jamie Dornan
Ronan Keating
Sporting Icons
Andy Murray
Gareth Bale
Michael Phelps
The celebrity component is not merely decorative. The team competition is a central feature of the week, and many amateur participants return annually.
What It Takes to Win
The championship consistently rewards players who excel in traditional links conditions.
Key attributes include:
Elite Ball Flight Control
Controlling trajectory in Scottish wind is essential.
Creativity Around the Greens
Links golf often requires bump-and-runs, putts from off the green, and unconventional recovery shots.
Patience in Changing Conditions
The weather can vary dramatically between the three courses, creating significant scoring discrepancies.
Strong Putting on Large Greens
Particularly at St Andrews, lag putting and distance control become critical.
Final Outlook
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is unlike any other tournament in professional golf. It combines the strategic genius of St Andrews, the relentless examination of Carnoustie, and the modern flair of Kingsbarns, while mixing major champions with movie stars, Olympians and sporting legends.
For purists, it is one of the finest celebrations of true links golf. For players, it demands adaptability across three completely different examinations. And for fans, it remains one of the most distinctive and entertaining weeks on the global golf calendar.
Headline Pick: Matt Fitzpatrick 4 units win +900
Outrights
Picks Summary:
This week we are going to pick 2/3 more obvious ones and then 2 mid to long rangers and will suggest units which are appropriate.
Matt Fitzpatrick (Could easily be his brother) 4 units win +900
Robert McIntyre 3 units win +1400, 3 units Top 10 +166
Alex Noren 3 units win +2450, 3 units Top 10 +270
Joe Dean 2 units win +6600, 2 units Top 10 +600
Sam Bairstow 1 points win +9400, 1 unit Top 10 +7900
Matt Fitzpatrick
Four victories already this season and a former Alfred Dunhill Links champion, so what’s not to like? Few players in the field arrive with a stronger combination of form, confidence and course pedigree. With younger brother Alex also teeing it up, don’t be surprised if the Fitzpatricks find themselves sharing the spotlight deep into Sunday afternoon.
Robert MacIntyre
The Scot needs little introduction when it comes to links golf. Raised on windy, coastal conditions, MacIntyre thrives when the weather turns ugly and scoring becomes a test of patience as much as execution. Expect him to be firmly in contention heading into the final round. The only question is whether he can find one more gear and get over the line.
Alex Noren
Few players on tour work harder than Noren, and his hands bear the scars to prove it. The Swede’s relentless dedication has been rewarded with a strong run of form, and his all-round game is perfectly suited to the varied demands of St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. If the putter cooperates, he has every chance of featuring prominently.
Joe Dean
A victory, a wedding and a T11 finish at the BMW make for a pretty memorable campaign. Add in a current position of 14th in the Race to Dubai standings, with next season’s card all but secured, and Dean arrives with freedom rather than pressure. That relaxed mentality can be a dangerous weapon, making him one of the more intriguing outsiders in the field.
Sam Bairstow
Our second left-hander comes into the week under the radar but with plenty of momentum. Bairstow has quietly pieced together a series of solid performances and currently sits 84th in the Race to Dubai rankings. Another strong week would significantly strengthen his position for next season, and with plenty still to play for, motivation certainly won’t be lacking.