Strong Winds Disrupt the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
On Saturday, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship faced significant disruption as strong winds forced the abandonment of play. This unforeseen weather challenge transformed the tournament landscape, leaving participants frustrated and altering what was meant to be an exciting day on the greens.
Instead of the anticipated final round featuring the top 60 competitors and their ties, the event has now been condensed to 54 holes without any cuts or eliminations. Golf aficionados were looking forward to the final day at the iconic Old Course; however, they will now witness a modified race for victory spread across three prestigious courses: the Old Course, Carnoustie, and Kingsbarns.
The culmination of the tournament is set for Sunday, with the field evenly distributed among the three venues. Local hero Robert MacIntyre will begin his final round tied for the lead at 12-under alongside South African Richard Sterne. MacIntyre, known for his skills on the course, will be keen to capitalize on the home advantage at the Old Course.
Joining MacIntyre for the final round will be the defending champion, Tyrrell Hatton. This esteemed pairing is scheduled for a tee time of 4:22 AM EDT (9:22 AM BST). Hatton, who has garnered a significant following for his excellence on the course, begins the final round with a score of 7-under. Notably, there are 16 LIV Golf players in the field, illustrating the increasing crossover of talent between traditional golfing circuits and LIV Golf.
Meanwhile, Richard Sterne will be paired with Marcus Kinhult, starting their round at 5:28 AM EDT (10:28 AM BST) at Carnoustie. Adding excitement to the leaderboard is Louis Oosthuizen, the highest-placed LIV Golfer currently in third, trailing the co-leaders by just one shot. Oosthuizen will be teeing off with Cameron Smith at the Old Course, the site of his notable Open triumph in 2022.
In another appealing pairing, Team Europe Ryder Cup star Matt Fitzpatrick—who clinched the tournament title two years ago when it was also reduced to 54 holes—will compete alongside his brother, Alex. Their tee time is set for 5:39 AM EDT (10:39 AM BST) at the Old Course. This dynamic duo brings a personal and competitive edge to the final round.
Further drawing attention will be the pairing of prominent LIV golfers Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson, who are scheduled to tee off at 6:12 AM EDT (11:12 AM BST) at the Old Course. Both golfers have made headlines in their careers and are set to provide an entertaining finish to this exciting tournament.
With the final round approaching, here are the scheduled tee times for the concluding day of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Golf enthusiasts are eager to see how the leaderboard evolves under these challenging conditions.
Final Round Tee Times at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
Tee Times EDT (BST)
The Old Course
- 4:00 AM (9:00 AM): Aldrich Potgieter & Tommy Fleetwood/Thomas Aiken & Jayden Schaper
- 4:11 AM (9:11 AM): Patrick Reed & John Parry/Oliver Wilson & Tyler Hodge
- 4:22 AM (9:22 AM): Robert MacIntyre & Tyrrell Hatton/Casey Jarvis & Deon Germishuys
- 4:33 AM (9:33 AM): Jordan Smith & Eddie Pepperell/Rory Franssen & Rupert Kaminski
Carnoustie
- 4:00 AM (9:00 AM): Nathan Kimsey & Matthias Schwab/Jeong weon Ko & Ben Schmidt
- 4:11 AM (9:11 AM): Aaron Cockerill & Sam Bairstow/George Coetzee & Joel Girrbach
- 4:22 AM (9:22 AM): Conor Purcell & Matthew Southgate/Fabrizio Zanotti & Jeff Winther
Kingsbarns
- 4:00 AM (9:00 AM): Jonathan Broomhead & Kerry Mountcastle/Yannik Paul & Alejandro Del Rey
- 4:11 AM (9:11 AM): Adrian Otaegui & Jack Senior/Clement Sordet & Daniel Brown
- 4:22 AM (9:22 AM): Caleb Surratt & Robin Williams/Callum Tarren & Marcus Armitage
As the championship unfolds under these unexpected conditions, fans are excited to see who will emerge as the victor in this modified three-day event. With skillful players like MacIntyre and Hatton leading the charge, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship promises an engaging finale filled with gripping competition and dramatic moments on the course.
