Tyrrell Hatton smiling, happy for a change...Alfred Dunhill Links Championship... 54 hole results...

 DP World Tour : Alfred Dunhill Links Championship...Leaderboard Weather

Tyrrell Hatton posted a record-equaling -11 61 at the Old Course at St Andrews to take a one-shot lead into the final round as he stepped up his bid to become the first three-time winner of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Nick Rodger, The Herald (Scotland)

Hatton, who won this event in 2016 and 2017 and has also recorded two runners-up finishes, continued his love affair with the unique tournament by firing an eagle and nine birdies at the Home of Golf to tie Ross Fisher's course record.

Overnight co-leader Nicolas Colsaerts was alone in second spot one stroke further back after shooting a spectacular 65 at Kingsbarns Golf Links which featured a memorable albatross.

Starting the day three shots off the lead after opening rounds of 65 and 68 at Carnoustie and Kingsbarns respectively, Hatton produced a brilliant burst of scoring on the front nine to grab a share of the lead after six holes.

But Belgian Colsaerts then made an albatross and a birdie in successive holes to move five clear at the top.

With a double bogey at the Belgian's very next hole opening the door for the chasing pack, Hatton walked right through it with four birdies on the spin from the 12th to get within one of the lead.

And Hatton finished with a flourish, carding back-to-back birdies on the 17th and 18th to join Fisher in the history books and lead heading into the fourth round, which will also be at St Andrews. He and his father also lead the team competition..

The highlight of the day came from Colsaerts, with his albatross coming from 223 yards at Kingsbarns' 16th.

Using a six iron, he drilled the ball up to the slope behind the pin and watched on as it rolled back into the cup for a two at the par five.

Frenchman Tom Vaillant sits in solo third on 19 under after his 64 at Kingsbarns.

Hatton said: "I was just taking each hole as it came and just trying to make as many birdies as I could. 

"I had actually shot ten under here before. I can't remember if it was 2016, the year that I won.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Hughes falls out of contention, scramble for top 125 continues, Sanderson Farms... live scoring..

 PGA Tour : Sanderson Farms   Leaderboard

Mac Hughes up and down season continues, 65 72 - down 31 spots To -7 T41 after 36 holes in benign weather in Mississippi at this version of the Sanderson Farms..

Roger Sloan T55 69 69 -6 and Adam Svensson has MC 70 71 -3

Meanwhile the journeymen that make up the rank and file continue their struggle to make the top 125 or better still hit the jackpot with a win.

Beau Hossler leads 65 64 -15 with Daniel Berger back from injury 65 65 -14 2nd and Jacob Bridgeman, Davis Skinns and Keith Mitchell all at -13.

Talk about log jam, there are 6 at -12 and another 6 at -11.

The cut fell at -6

Bryan Angus

Colsaerts / Cameron atop after 36 holes Alfred Dunhill Links Championships... full leaderboard / weather

 DP World Tour : Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Leaderboard  Weather

Nicolas Colsaerts said local knowledge was the key as he shot a stunning 65 at Carnoustie to share the lead with Cameron John after the second round of the 2024 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Colsaerts, now 41, kicked off his campaign with a 65 at the Old Course at St Andrews on Thursday and recorded the same score at the notoriously tricky Carnoustie on day two to reach -14.

Australian John, meanwhile, followed up his opening 62 at Kingsbarns with a 68 on the Old Course, grabbing a share of the lead with his brilliant birdie at the 17th.

Home favourite David Law and first-round leader Darren Fichardt were in a tie for third a shot further back at -13 one ahead of the four-strong group on -12  following another day of low scoring.

Belgian Colsaerts, who has been coming to this event since 2004, felt his experience of Carnoustie paid dividends as he shot eight birdies and a single bogey, attributing his success to birdies at the difficult ninth and 17th.

The 2012 Ryder Cup star said: "I've been playing pretty well since yesterday. St Andrews, I really plotted my way around. But here, it requires a little bit more local knowledge. Having played in this (event) definitely helps. 

"Didn't really get off to the best of starts. I was more agitated and I didn't hit the shots that I wanted. Then I started to get on a roll and birdied the ninth, which is not a hole that you birdie usually, and then went a couple on the spin, which was great, and kept it going.

"I birdied the 17th, which is also a hole you don't really birdie at Carnoustie. So yeah, it all fitted together."

A series of pars followed before John holed from 22 feet at the 17th to get to -14 and share the lead with Colsaerts.

He said: "It's just fun. You don't get it a lot back home, the odd course that plays similar but nothing quite the same. 

"And that's kind of just the outlook of the week, just enjoy it, take it all in, walking up 18, it's always pretty special, so just remember it."

Meanwhile Tommy Fleetwood 68 65 -11 T9 along with former champion Tyrrell Hatton T9 65 68 are the top notables..Brook Koepka 71 64, Jon Rahm 65 71 from LIV, Rory 69,69 -6, Billy Horschel 70 68 -6, Shane Lowry 68 70 -6, 

Grant Forrest and Martin Gilbert lead the team event on -24 after two rounds.

The cut falls Saturday evening..

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Bryan Angus (edit)

Hughes T3 at Sanderson Farms... full leaderboard

 PGA Tour : Sanderson Farms Leaderboard

I started watching as England's David Skinns missed a foot curling putt on his final hole, and I wondered why are they showing this 40+ year old journeyman... until I realized it was for 59 !!

David Skinns

Published on October 4, 2024

" How many times do you get a 9 footer for 59 ?!! he wondered aloud post round after his leading -12 60.

After all the hoopla of the Presidents Cup the rank and file are all gathered down in Mississippi for this Fall Series,  Sanderson Farms and they include Mac Hughes who won it 2 years ago.

He shot -7 65 T3.  "Monday was kind of sober up, Tuesday rest and travel down here, Wednesday was light, the pro-am and some practice, so it was finally Thursday when I caught my breath, ready to play here." 

Other Canadians Adam Svensson T70 -2 50 and Roger Sloan T53 -3 69.

These fall matches are for guys who are trying to get into the top 125 for 2025, or in Hughes case the top 60 who will get to play in the first 2 signature events of next season. He is currently #51.

Bryan Angus 

Balmy weather has turned very windy at Albert Dunhill Links Championship...Live leaderboard / weather report

 DP World Tour : Alfred Dunhill Links Championship...Leaderboard  Weather

Darren Fichardt took advantage of ideal playing conditions at Kingsbarns Golf Links on the opening day of the 2024 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, firing a stunning 61 to lead a star-studded field by a single shot.

edit **All that has changed for day 2 (Friday) with winds gusting to 40mph buffeting Scotland's SE coast. Click on weather above for the full forecast...

edit ** The Clubhouse leader after 36 holes is big hitting Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts who has made an incredible 16 birdies (65 St. Andrews, 65 Carnoustie) to get to -14 

The 49-year-old South African shone on the greens as he carded two eagles, nine birdies and two bogeys to reach -11

After starting from the tenth tee and turning in 31, Fichardt made an eagle and four birdies in the first seven holes of his back nine to get the crowds on the Scottish coast excited about the prospect of a 59.

But those hopes were dashed by a bogey at the short eighth before a successful 12-foot birdie putt on the ninth saw him finish on a high.

Fichardt, who tied his lowest DP World Tour round on Thursday, sits a single shot clear of nearest challenger Cameron John, who shot a 62 at Kingsbarns.

Home favourite Scott Jamieson, New Zealand's Daniel Hillier - playing at the Old Course at St Andrews - and England's Andrew Wilson, who made a hole-in-one at the eighth at Kingsbarns in his spotless 63, were in a tie for third on -9

Fichardt was delighted with his day's work, saying: "That was good. That was sweet. I started with a birdie on my first hole, the tenth hole, and then I hit a really poor three-putt the next hole. 

"I was like 'oh my goodness, it's going to be a grind today', and then made like a 100-foot putt for eagle on the next hole, and then the train just kept on going.

"It was really, really nice for everything just to fall like that.

Most of the big names were well back Shane Lowry for example started from the tenth tee at Carnoustie, flew out of the blocks with four birdies in a row. He would close his front nine with back-to-back bogeys on 17 and 18 but bounce back with three more birdies at the first, second and third on his way to a -4 68.

Billy Horschel, Patrick Reed were at 70 Brooks Koepka 71...

Rory was in at -3 69 and has set his sights on going low at Kingsbarns Golf Links on Friday after admitting he perhaps did not make the most of the weather at a notoriously tricky course.

"It's nice to get Carnoustie out of the way. 

"It's a course where we had perfect conditions for it. So I feel like I could have taken advantage of it a bit more. 

"But yeah, Kingsbarns, a course where if you do get decent conditions, obviously historically, there's been a lot of low scoring.

My Dad Gerry has his 65th birthday on Saturday so to be able to stroll around the Old Course with him on his 65th is going to be a pretty cool occasion. 

"Delighted to be out here with him, and hopefully we can make a few more birdies tomorrow."

American Hudson Swafford made 3 bogey's and a snowman 8 on the16th at St Andrew's on his way to 77 for the days highest score.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

DP World Tour : Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. TEE Times and weather forecast

 DP World Tour : Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Leaderboard

The tee times are all set and you may notice right away that there are several LIV players invited Koepka, Oosthuizen, Rahm, Dean Burmester and Patrick Reed in fact Billy Horschel has both PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and the man behind LIV, Yasir Al Rumayyan, in his pro-am group.

Also in this celebration of golf Robert MacIntyre and dad Dougie will write another chapter in their remarkable father-son golfing story when they tee it up as a team at this week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

The man known to all as Bob credits his father as the person who "really taught me how to play the game golf" and at this event 11 years ago, Dougie caddied for his then amateur 17-year-old son as he finished fifth in the team event alongside Eduardo de la Riva.

Since then Robert has turned professional, graduated from the European Challenge Tour, been crowned Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year, won on both the DP World and PGA Tours, become a Rolex Series winner and played on a victorious Ryder Cup team.

His maiden PGA TOUR win at the RBC Canadian Open also came with Dougie on the bag and as the two prepare to be team-mates over the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, Robert is left to reflect how they have come full circle.

"He’s the reason I play the way I play," he said. "If you watch the two of us swing, obviously I've made some changes to my golf swing but it's very, very similar and he’s the guy that’s really taught me how to play the game golf and it's just going to be special.

 But the family ties among the golfing elite don't stop there, with Rory McIlroy joined by his father Gerry and Tyrrell Hatton playing alongside his father Jeff too,

This year Matt Fitzpatrick is bidding to become just the second player – after countryman Tyrrell Hatton – to win the title in back-to-back years. The 30-year-old will also be looking for a repeat of his Team Championship success last year alongside his mum, Sue.

There is one Canadian in the field and its not Aaron Cockerill, rather veteran Asian Tour stalwart Richard T Lee.

The Scots say "nae wind nae golf " well it will be very windy overnight Thursday and right through the weekend. For the all important weather forecast click Weather

Bryan Angus

A celebration of golf at St Andrews.. Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

 DP World Tour : Alfred Dunhill Links Championship...Entry List

After all the drama here in Montreal of the Presidents Cup, many of the world's best players and British celebrities gather at St Andrews this week for what is a celebration of golf.

Fun, comradeship, great food and drinks, all part of the Alfred Dunhill Links at the home of golf, along with a round up the coast a wee bit to Carnoustie and along to Kingsbarns adjacent to Muirfield make up this week on the DP World Tour..

Matt Fitzpatrick (and family) return to defend titles

“It doesn’t get much better than winning at St Andrews." Those were the words of Matt Fitzpatrick on adding his name to the roll call of champions at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. A week after helping Team Europe win back the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, the Englishman claimed his ninth DP World Tour title with a three-shot victory as inclement weather shortened the tournament to 54 holes. This year, the 2022 U.S. Open champion is bidding to become just the second player – after countryman Tyrrell Hatton – to win the title in back-to-back years. The 30-year-old will also be looking for a repeat of his Team Championship success last year alongside his mum, Sue. But the family ties among the golfing elite don't stop there, with Rory McIlroy joined by his father Gerry and Hatton playing alongside his father Jeff too, while Robert MacIntyre will have dad Dougie, who is course manager at Glencruitten golf club near Oban, for company at the Home of Golf

Inside the field

Having forged a reputation as one of the most popular events on the DP World Tour schedule, it is perhaps no surprise to see a host of world-renowned golfers are in action – headlined by a glut of Major Champions. After back-to-back runner-up finishes at the Amgen Irish Open at BMW PGA Championship, McIlroy will hope to put several near misses this year behind him and celebrate a first Alfred Dunhill Links Championship title – an event which saw him first earn his DP World Tour card in 2007. Among the other Major winners are his 2023 European Ryder Cup team-mates Jon Rahm, Shane Lowry and Fitzpatrick, while US duo Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed are also teeing it up. Pádraig Harrington, himself a three-time Major Champion, and Hatton will both be playing, hoping to become the first three-time winner of the Alfred Dunhill Links, while they are joined by Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre, 2021 champion Danny Willett and two-time BMW PGA Championship winner Billy Horschel. Thriston Lawrence, who broke into the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking last month, leads a strong South African challenge. Harrington and David Howell are the only two professionals to have played in every edition of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

MacIntyre leads home hopes

In the event’s initial years following its inclusion on the DP World Tour in 2001, players from Scotland enjoyed great success with inaugural champion Paul Lawrie, Stephen Gallagher and Colin Montgomerie lifting the silverware in three of its first five editions. However, not since Montgomerie in 2005 has a Scot won the title. Among those hoping to put that right is MacIntyre, already a winner on Scottish soil at the Genesis Scottish Open in July. That followed hot on the heels of his breakthrough PGA TOUR title at the Canadian Open. The fan favourite won’t be in short supply of support again this week, but he is not alone. In addition, with the likes of Connor Syme, Grant Forrest and Calum Hill also representing the Saltire, there is cause for optimism that a Scot will be celebrating on the Swilcan Bridge at the end of the week.

Headline acts from range of industries

With a prize fund of US$5 million, the Alfred Dunhill Links incorporates two separate competitions - an Individual Professional event for the world's leading golfers and the Team Championship in which the professionals are paired with amateur golfers, creating a unique atmosphere. The cut is made after three rounds, with the 60 leading professionals and ties playing in the final round, along with the 20 lowest scoring pro-am teams, regardless of the professional’s individual score. Stars of sport and screen – among a range of fields – will be teeing it up in what is a week in their diary they ensure remains free. Hollywood stars Michael Douglas, Andy Garcia, Bill Murray and Kathryn Newton will be on stage, while figures from the music industry such as Keane’s Tom Chaplin, Linkin Park’s Dave Farrell and Mike Rutherford of Genesis and Mike and the Mechanics, will be sharing the fairways with cult US rock legends Huey Lewis and Bon Jovi’s Tico Torres. Alongside them are a raft of sports stars such as Gareth Bale, Kevin Petersen, Ruud Gullit, Sir Steve Redgrave and surfing great Kelly Slater.

Charity a cornerstone of the event

Since it was established in 2001, the Alfred Dunhill Links has only been absent from the DP World Tour schedule on one occasion – in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Staged at three of the world’s best-known links venues – The Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie, and Kingsbarns – the tournament is liked by players, amateurs (celebrities or otherwise) and fans alike. Set on varied and challenging courses on the east coast of Scotland, the tournament has forged special bonds among players and their partners through their passion for golf. Now, into its 23rd staging this year, another facet of the event is how the participating golfers throw their support to a number of charitable causes, via the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation, with many millions of pounds raised over the years.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus