THe European Tour heads to St Andrews for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship this week. Damien Kayat previews.
2021 European Tour
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
St Andrews (Old Course), Carnoustie, Kingsbarns- Scotland
30th September- 3rd October
The less said about last week the better. Europe’s record Ryder Cup defeat has been a long time coming. It was only a matter of time until the American side was able to get their act together. It was a sad procession for the Europeans, highlighting just how far the tour now lags behind the US PGA monolith. This week’s trip to Scotland offers a reprieve for those viewers sick to death of last week’s boorish shenanigans. The European Tour will be hosting its one and only pro-am: the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. It’s strange to think that this event started as recently as 2001. For some reason, this event feels likes a cornerstone of the entire tour. Perhaps it has something to do with the iconic venues that perennially play host to this event.
As I noted earlier, this is the only pro-am event on the European Tour. All the pros will partner an amateur and play in teams of two. Those teams will then alternate between three iconic links courses over the first three days of play. St Andrews needs no introduction. The ‘home of golf’ can present great scoring in benign conditions. Carnoustie is generally regarded as one of the toughest tests in links golf. The treacherous pot bunkers are the stuff of nightmare fuel. But ‘Carnasty’ won’t bear all its teeth given the generous setup accommodating the amateurs. Kingsbarnes, much like St Andrews, should also present some brilliant scoring opportunities. After the teams rotate through these courses over the first three days, the top 60 pros (and ties) and top 20 teams will once again tackle St Andrews on Sunday. Previous links form has almost been mandatory for success.
Three of the European Ryder Cup contingent will be in action this week. One wonders exactly what sort of shape they are going to be in after last week’s embarrassing result. Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrell Hatton will be hoping to exorcise some demons this week. Tyrell Hatton looks the obvious choice in this trio, having won back-to-back instalments of this event in 2016 and 2017. American Billy Horschel is an interesting one. He is obviously flying high after winning the European Tour’s flagship event in Wentworth. But this will be his first time playing this event and he doesn’t possess spectacular Open Championship form. This should be an interesting week but be advised: there looks certain to be some nasty weather at some point. That- coupled with the pro-am status- could make this a frustrating viewing experience.
Past Winners
2020: event cancelled
2019: Victor Perez (-22)
2018: Lucas Bjerregaard (-15)
2017: Tyrell Hatton (-24)
2016: Tyrell Hatton (-23)
2015: Thorbjorn Olesen (-18)
To Win Outright:
Shane Lowry 12/1 | Tommy Fleetwood 14/1 | Billy Horschel 14/1 | Alex Noren 16/1 | Tyrell Hatton 16/1
Value Bets
Johannes Veerman- To Win 45/1 | To Place 19/2
Veerman just looks like ridiculous value this week at 45/1. The American will want to keep the current trend of US domination going. Before Europe were thumped by USA, Billy Horschel has won the flagship BMW Championship. Veerman will be hoping to keep that trend going this week. He actually won his maiden European Tour at this year’s D&D Real Czech Masters. More importantly, he finished 3rd at the Irish Open and T8 at the Scottish Open. He looks more than capable of competing in these conditions.
Ryan Fox- To Win (80/1), To Place (17/1)
Ryan Fox is always a decent outside bet in links conditions. His links form hasn’t necessarily translated into vintage Alfred Dunhill Links success. The best result he has managed here is a measly T24. But just look at some of his other brilliant links’ results. He has finished T4 and T6 at the Scottish Open. He has also finished T2 and T4 at the Irish Open. So, we are very much looking at a links specialist in Kiwi Ryan Fox. He has been in ok form coming into this, making the cut at Wentworth prior to a T15 at the KLM Open.
The Man to Beat- Branden Grace- To Win 30/1 | To Place 13/2
I have obviously opted to swerve the Ryder Cuppers this week (scar tissue and all that). Grace is a player who just makes a lot of sense this week. He has won on the PGA Tour this year and also has a runner-up finish. Those were in far more elite fields than this. Grace is also a bad weather specialist (it does look like we will have some inclement weather this week). He won the 2012 edition of this event, opening up with a sizzling 60 at Kingsbarns.
