This past weekend marked the first tournament on the European Tour after the Ryder Cup. The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship was held on the Championship Course at Carnoustie, the highly regarded Kingsbarns Golf Links and the Old Course at St Andrews, which will also host the 2015 Open Championship. All were cheering for world number 1, Rory McIlroy, to pull through and win on his father’s birthday, but it would be England’s Oliver Wilson who would win and go away with the respect of the Scottish galleries and a one shot victory.
Oliver Wilson is ranked 792nd in the world and lost his European Tour card in 2011. He was playing in the Championship as an invitee this week, but with the win, he receives a two-year exemption on the European Tour. Perhaps it was full circle for him as he also led the tournament after the first round last year, only to finish 59th. The championship is a celebration of links golf and incorporates two separate competitions – an individual professional tournament and a team event in which the professionals are paired with some of the most celebrated amateur golfers.
We had the opportunity to visit St. Andrews as well as The Old Course in July – it certainly is a magical place. Watching the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship played there was amazing and we can’t wait to watch Rory McIlroy defend his Open Championship title there in 2015.
Source: European Tour, Alfred Dunhill Links
