Given the weather that usually accompanies the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship it would be wrong to assume that Ryder Cup heroes Tommy Fleetwood, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Robert MacIntyre are in for a stress free return to the DP World Tour following their exploits for Europe last week.
The trio join Irish stars Pádraig Harrington, Tom McKibbin, John Murphy and Mark Power in Scotland where the famous old championship will be played across three courses, the Old Course at St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie.
Two years ago the outlook for European golf was gloomy after Harrington and a selection of his charges drooped back to the Dunhill after a record-breaking defeat to the United States of America in the 2021 Ryder Cup in Whistling Straits. This week however, is much different. There is a feel good factor around the tournament with the three European stars headlining another strong field that also includes defending champion Ryan Fox, Billy Horschel, Rasmus Hojgaard and a handful of LIV stars including Louis Oosthuizen and Talor Gooch.
From an Irish point of view, Harrington returns to action after a missed cut in Wentworth but as he chases the record of becoming the oldest ever winner on the DP World Tour he knows the Dunhill presents him with one of the best opportunities he is going to have.
“Ronan my caddie said to me you can win a tour event now but you won’t be able to win one in ten years time but you will be able to win a Champions Tour event in ten years so don’t go chasing after Champions Tour events when there are tour events I can go and win,” affirmed Harrington.
“I think I’m good enough to win on tour, on the regular tour, but I have to get back to in the flow of regular tour events. I can’t just turn up and play one and say hello to my friends and do all that sort of stuff. I have to play three or four of them in a row to get the feel of them and the flow.
“Everything has a flow like that. The reason being, I think I’m in good enough but can’t think playing one I’m going to turn up and everything is familiar and everything is right. I’ve got to play two, three, four in a row and get a feel for it, and that’s my intention.”
Harrington tees off alongside home hero and winning Ryder Cup rookie MacIntyre.
Meanwhile, Kilkenny star Power returns to St Andrews for the first time as a professional having bowed out of amateur golf at the Home of Golf last month at the Walker Cup where he birdied his last two holes to win his singles match on the 18th as Great Britain and Ireland were beaten by the USA.
The 23-year-old has drawn an interesting tee time alongside Dean Burmester and they will start at the Old Course while his Walker Cup teammate John Gough is in the group afterwards.
John Murphy who secured a top-10 here two years ago will be hoping a return to happy memories can kickstart a late rally towards the end of the season when he gets his campaign underway alongside the rapidly rising Challenge Tour star Casey Jarvis.
Tom McKibbin returns to action alongside Alex Levy.
Leaderboard and Tee Times HERE
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