2024 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Offers Playoff Push Opportunity

This week the DP World Tour returns to Scotland for its annual pilgrimage to the Home of Golf for the 2024 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. With a favorable weather forecast and a plethora of high-profile golfers and celebrities set to tee it up on these historic links, this year’s Dunhill Links Championship has all the makings of a can’t-miss spectacle.

The Stars Will Be Out at St. Andrews for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship typically draws a nice field for play, with its more relaxed atmosphere, historic golf courses, and the always-fun team aspect of the tournament. Stars set to tee it up this week in Scotland include World No. 3 Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, and recent BMW PGA Championship winner, Billy Horschel.

With its season officially in the books, LIV players must now find alternative places to play, especially as they look to accumulate Ryder Cup points for a potential selection for next year’s contest at Bethpage Black (NY). Big names teeing it up this week include Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Brooks Koepka, and the 2010 British Open Championship winner at St. Andrews, Louis Oosthuizen.

The Team Competition Features Some of Your Favorite Celebrities

One of the coolest aspects of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is that it is not only an official DP World Tour event, but it is also a pro-am team championship, featuring celebrities, sports stars, family members, and others playing alongside a professional golfer in a coinciding team contest. After the third round, the top 20 teams will fight it out on Sunday for the team trophy.

Celebrities teeing it up this week include Andy Garcia, Huey Lewis, Kathryn Newton, and the Caddyshack legend, Bill Murray. Soccer superstar Gareth Bale is back again, as are surfing legend Kelly Slater and Super Bowl MVP QB John Elway.

Professionals love this opportunity to pair up with family members and we’ll see Su Fitzpatrick returning, who won the 2023 team competition with her son Matt Fitzpatrick. Fan favorite Gerry McIlroy returns as the playing partner of son, Rory McIlroy, while Scottish pro, Bob MacIntyre is playing with his father, Dougie. You may remember this duo from earlier this year when Dougie caddied for Bob’s first win on the PGA Tour at the RBC Canadian Open.

Three Historic Links Courses - One Championship

The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is contested over three links courses – the Old Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie, and Kingsbarns, with each golfer playing each course the first three rounds and the top 60 and ties moving on to compete on the Old Course in the final round.

Of the three, Carnoustie is notoriously the most difficult, especially in high wind, earning it the now-familiar moniker, “CarNASTY.” Meanwhile, Kingsbarns is the newest of the three, having been opened only since 2000. It provides a stern test and features spectacular views of the North Sea.

What more can be said about the Old Course, the Home of Golf and the most famous golf course in the world? When players make their way down the 18th hole, “Home Hole” as it’s called, on Sunday, they will be walking in the footsteps of golf giants – everyone from Old Tom Morris and Young Tom Morris to Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Tiger Woods has made that historic walk during their career to the delight and applause of adoring fans in the “old grey town.”

The DP World Tour Playoff Push is On

With just four events, including the Dunhill Links, left until the DP World Tour Playoffs, players will be making their final push to qualify for the season-ending Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the DP World Tour Championship on the Earth Course in Dubai. The top 70 make it to the playoffs, with players like Rory McIlroy, Matteo Manassero, Bob MacIntyre, and Adam Scott safely inside that number.

However, players on that cut line shouldn’t feel as safe. Yannik Paul is currently 70th – the last man in – while players like Gavin Green, Richie Ramsay, and Adrien Saddier hover around the cut, eager to string together several high finishes to move within the top 70 and secure their spot in the playoffs.

As the season winds down and the pressure amps up, golfers have everything to play for over the next two months – a shot to earn a tour card, Ryder Cup points, playoff bonus money, and of course, history.