About the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship:
The Dunhill Links is the European Tour's version of the PGA Tour's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Which is to say, a multi-course pro-am featuring celebrities and business icons playing alongside the pros. The tournament is played in late September/early October, when the Scottish weather is often chilly and wet, so images from this event frequently feature cold celebs and pros bundled up. The Top 20 pro-am teams stay together for the fourth round, so 20 amateurs get to play all four rounds.
2013 Tournament
• When: Sept. 26-29
• Where: Old Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, Scotland
• When: Sept. 26-29
• Where: Old Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, Scotland
2012 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
Branden Grace got off to a recordsetting start and finished with the win at the 2012 Dunhill Links. Grace's first round 60 set a tournament record and matched the European Tour record for 18 holes. He finished at 22-under 266, matching the tournament's 72-hole record and winning by two strokes over Thorbjorn Olesen. It was Grace's fourth Euro Tour win of 2012.
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Tournament Records:
- 18 holes: 60 - Branden Grace, 2012
- 72 holes: 266 - Michael Hoey, 2011; Branden Grace, 2012
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Golf Courses:
The tournament rotates among three courses over the first three rounds: The Old Course and Kingsbarns Golf Links in St. Andrews, Scotland; and Carnoustie Golf Links in Carnoustie, Scotland. The finald round is played on The Old Course.
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Trivia and Notes:
- The tournament debuted in 2001 with Scotsman Paul Lawrie, the 1999 British Open champion at Carnoustie, claiming the inaugural trophy.
- During the third round of the 2003 Dunhill Links, Lee Westwood and Steen Tinning both scored double-eagles. That was the first time in European Tour that two golfers got double eagles in the same round of the same tournament.
- In 2003, former European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance won the pro-am playing with his 15-year-old son Daniel.
- Fred Couples is another golfer who didn't win the tournament but did win the pro-am. Couples' amateur partner in 2004 was New Zealand businessman Craig Heatley. One year ealier, Heatley was part of the winning pro-am team at Pebble Beach.
- Padraig Harrington is the only two-time winner thus far, taking the title in 2002 and 2006.
- At the 2012 tournament, Branden Grace's first-round 60 set the tournament 18-hole scoring record, and matched the European Tour record. His winning total of 266 also matched the tournament 72-hole scoring record.
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Winners:
(p-won playoff)
2012 - Branden Grace, 266
2011 - Michael Hoey, 266
2010 - Martin Kaymer, 271
2009 - Simon Dyson, 268
2008 - Robert Karlsson-p, 278
2007 - Nick Dougherty, 270
2006 - Padraig Harrington, 271
2005 - Colin Montgomerie, 279
2004 - Stephen Gallacher-p, 269
2003 - Lee Westwood, 267
2002 - Padraig Harrington-p, 269
2001 - Paul Lawrie, 270
