It could be a unique sporting team: 15 world-renowned stars from various sports will meet this week at St Andrews to celebrate links golf – and, if possible, try to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Team Championship.
What do they have in common? The love of golf and the joy of playing at three of the world’s greatest links courses – The Old Course St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, from October 3-6.
Among them is the star of Real Madrid and Wales, Gareth Bale, who is now playing for the second year running. Regarded as one of the best footballers of his generation and one of the greatest Welsh players of all time, he is famous for some amazing goals.
In nine years with Real, he won 15 trophies, including three La Liga titles and five Champions League titles. He shot one-under-par at Carnoustie in his first Alfred Dunhill Links last year.
The roll call of sports celebrities who swap clubs, boots, wrenches and surfboards for their golf clubs is amazing.
Cricket offers the biggest squad, with five players, led by England’s record-breaking fast bowler Jimmy Anderson, Ashes winning captain Michael Vaughan and the strikers Kevin Pietersen, Allan Lamb again Mark Nicholas.
Also featured is a record-breaking Olympic rower Sir Steve Redgravewho has played at every Alfred Dunhill Links since 2001, the Springboks Rugby World Cup winning flanker. Schalk Burger JnrDenver Broncos John Elway, one of the greatest quarterbacks in American football history, and an 11-time world champion surfer Kelly Slater.
Slater is the rookie every professional wants to play with as he has partnered with two winners – Simon Dyson in 2009 and Thorbjorn Olesen in 2015. The most famous American, known as the greatest swimmer of all time, finished third in the Team Championship in 2009 and was described. “like the best golf week of my life.”
With a $5 million prize fund, the event features two separate tournaments – an individual professional tournament for the world’s best golfers and a Team Championship where professionals are paired with novice golfers, creating a unique atmosphere.
Last year’s winner Matt Fitzpatrick, 2022 US Open champion, won both the individual title and the Team Championship with his mother Sue. He will return with Sue to protect them both.
Among those who have confirmed that they will play there are overseas stars in this game. Tommy Fleetwood is playing again after winning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics and is hoping to go even further than in 2019, when he won the Alfred Dunhill Links Team Championship, while Padraig Harrington again Tyrrell Hatton he will be trying to become the first to win three times.
Even on the field there are great champions Brooks Koepka, Shane Lowry, Rory McIlroy, Louis Oosthuizen, Jon Rahm, Patrick Reed again Danny Willett, plus a crowd favorite Billy Horschel, winner of last month’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
This year there is a strong local challenge led by Bob MacIntyrewinner of the Genesis Scottish Open and Canadian Open earlier in the summer, as well Grant Forrest, Calum Hill, Scott Jamieson, David Law, Richie Ramsay again Connor Syme.
The first three days are free. Tickets for the last day only, October 6, on the Old Course, need to be purchased. To purchase tickets, visit www.alfreddunhilllinks.com/tickets/
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