European Tour - Alfred Dunhill Links

As we've been saying, it's very hard to follow something like what we've seen last week at Medinah!
But the show must go on... so, we're back to Europe and to Scotland, for the rather unusual event that is the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. This is only the 12th edition of the tournament and it has to be said that it has proved to be a great success story over those years. Interestingly enough it all started before the O'Grady era, and maybe it's worth pointing that out to him that it may still be possible to have great new events here in Europe, attracting top players and great sponsorship and prize funds, if you use some fresh ideas and imagination and some of the unique things that Europe has to offer...

With only one exception, the field strength has been more than decent, averaging around 50 points, which is very good for the European Tour...

Spoiler:

It will be great for the crowds to see some of the Ryder Cup heroes from last week, although I wouldn't bet on strong performances from most of them, considering what they had to go through in Medinah and all the parties and travelling that followed that. But if I were to pick one of them this week, it will probably be Martin Kaymer, who first of all is German and they're supposed to take everything seriously, and secondly because I think he'd be very keen to use this 'high' and re-launch his carreer back to the top. A win this week would certainly do that, and remember, he already won this event only two years ago. Talking of former winners, Harrington is one that stands out, as he is the only one to win this event twice. A hat trick of such wins would mean an awful lot to Padraig at this point, I've no doubt, and would lift him back well inside the top 50 in the world rankings. And another former winner who's in desperate serch of his lost form would've been Robert Karlsson, but somehow he seems to have switched places with Martin Laird this week, as he (Karlsson) chose to play in Las Vegas this week (where ML won in the past), while Lairdy is coming home to Scotland.

As I said, some silly post-RC statements aside, it's great to see Dustin Johnson returning here again (I presume it'll be Dustin&Austin teeing off together once again), but also to see new PGA Tour faces such us Pat Perez (he could provide some good entertainment, I guess), Tom Gillis and Graeme DeLaet. I didn't look through the list of all the Am's that will join the Pro's this week, but I'm guessing most of them will probably be eclipsed by the towering presence of Michael Phelps. Should be good fun...

Is this the event Chris Evans is now banned from playing in for some handicap "issues"?

Great write up prince, this is one of the European events I look forward to and enjoyed your insight for the week.

Cheers pd.
One of the big ET tournaments of the year.

Talking about former winners: Paul Lawrie. One of the reasons why he shouldn't be on the "worst ever major winners list".

Great stuff pd:
Wonder if the Tour knew what they were doing though, when they chose to pair Laird and Harrington. Hope their partners get a move on, otherwise there'll be a roadblock. Dustin Johnson, who plays as if he's late for his bus home, right behind them and he won't be pleased about that!

Scottish golfers have been playing well and hope that continues - especially Richie Ramsay who presumably has been on honeymoon. Trust that hasn't affected his form.

Something completely different - I see Luke Donald is petitioning the ET to have the Ryder Cup count towards his mandatory 13 ET events, given that the PGA Tour allows that, and it's a week dedicated to the success of the ET - McIlroy also seeking a change.

I'm not sure how the ET will feel about that. I think Rory has only played three times in the continent of Europe all year - Wentworth, Portrush & Lytham.

Apparently Rory is on schedule to complete his 13, he's just holding Lukey's coat while he seeks a modification to the rule as it looks as if Luke will have to unearth an extra tournament to play.
Given the number of events that have disappeared some of these guys will have more (perceived anyway) challenges than they might have felt a year or so ago.

Presumably, the response from Kwiniaska would be "Are you the bloke who is also petitioning for more events in your home country, but then doesn't bother to turn up at the Wales Open?"

Seriously, I can see Luke's point (sort of). Not being an international pro golfer with lots of sponsors/other business interests though, I can't really understand why the double dippers cut their schedule so close to the minimum tour requirements.

Mac please tell more re the ginger one.personally I feel he should be banned from all broadcasting.

Sky, Spot on!
In every respect!

Things have changed a lot since the time of Seve, Faldo, Langer, etc. There were no WGCs in those days and I think the US Majors didn't count on the European Tour. It was impossible to meet the requirements to be a member of both Tours simultaneously.

I remember Seve wanted to maintain a schedule in Europe and so refused to play the 15 times he need in the US as he would then have to give up Europe. Deane Beaman was in charge on the PGA Tour at the time. I remember reading that Seve wanted to play a warmup event for Augusta but the Tour wouldn't give him an entry. He ended up having to play a Nike Tour event (or whatever it was called at the time). It is impossible to imagine Tim Finchem doing that now to the World No 1 even if he happened to not be a US Tour member.

Cheers guys!

Agree on your comments about the comments (!) from Luke/Rory. I would have no problem to have the RC considered as part of the schedule, but at the same time their ET quota is almost too easy to reach and we can see some of the consequences, you hardly get to see most of those top 'dual tour' players setting foot on this side of the pond, especially on the continental part of Europe...

Pretty low scoring this morning on the links, with the South African Haig having a stelar start at Kingsbarns: -5 after 5 (incl an eagle). Tom Lewis once again proppng the LB after begining with a double bogey. Olly Fisher redivivus!? Very early days to say that....

Haig does the turn in 29! Certainly a 59 watch there... I wonder what's the course record at Kingsbarns? His Grace following closely behind...

Shaky starts from Harri (at Carnoustie!) and from the Americans...

Can find any of the details of the case or an investigation but it seems chris evans now has a lifetime ban.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/bunker-mentality/evans-banned-dunhill-over-dodgy-handicap-115540505.html

If I'm the European tour it's a no brainer. Accept the points.

McLaren wrote:Can find any of the details of the case or an investigation but it seems chris evans now has a lifetime ban.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/bunker-mentality/evans-banned-dunhill-over-dodgy-handicap-115540505.html

I'd ban him for that outfit alone. Personally I see no need for anyone to bare their midriff whilst playing golf -- buy a longer sweater for goodness sake !

Victor Dubuisson 9 under thru 13 at St Andrews. A 59 on the cards for a Frenchman at the home of golf? He started on the back & even birdied the road hole! A reachable par 5, 3 very short par 4's & a par 3 to try & get 4 more shots under par.

Just about to post the very same .in theory chances still to come.Are they playing of the front tees by any chance.

Re Evans I find it hard to believe the organisers do not ask for something official from the amateurs.Maybe he didnt have a 'live'handicap

Not surprised that Old Course scoring is best by mile... Lovely day and lack of wind, place is a park for those guys. Definately easiest course out 3 anyway id imagine although havent played Kingsbarns.

11 under thru 15. He could do this. Great round from Grace, but just a 12 under par 60

Looks like he thought about it too - bogey on 7.

Dubiusson completely blown up only 10 under now

dynamark wrote:Dubiusson completely blown up only 10 under now

Choker!

Sacre bleu up...

Close, but no cigar in the end... (re: 59)
But ET confirming that Grace's 60 beats the Kingsbarns course record (held previously by Westwood) by 2 shots. And somewhat surprising to hear that Dubuisson's 62 is also a course record at TOC... With all the talk of it being by far the easiest, I would've thought the course record would be lower than that. So, still no 59 in ET's history then... but if the weather stays calm as today, maybe someone else will break that over the next few days, who knows...

Also, one other thing I didn't know, and for those who doubt some of DC's golfing credentials, Darren Clarke is the only one in ET history who has two 60's in his CV...

In the circumstances, hats off also to Oliver Wilson and Havret for the excellent 5-under at the toughest of the 3 venues, Carnoustie...

Next week they have that millionaires' exhibition thingy in Turkey, with Rory, Tiger, Lee, etc... But this week the same course is organising one of the top amateur team competitions, the Eisenhower Trophy. US team are leading by 4 shots after the first day. But what really caught my eye was this scorecard from one of the Kyrgyzstan competitors who finished 1st round with a +57:

Spoiler:

I always new I have it in me to compete with some of the world's best...

Amazing Grace has a FIVE stroke lead at Kingsbarns.

And Wilson and Havret are 2 ahead of Cejka at Carnoustie - which seems to have hosted more than its fair share of golfing carnage.

Re Chris Evans, I have heard that the reason for the ban was that he chose to declare a handicap from a club in England (10) when he had a much lower handicap at a club in Spain? Anyone got any further info?

I don't know anything about Evans but from what Ewan Murray was saying on the commentary last night it's all a bit haphazard. He seemed to suggest that the organisers tell each player how many shots he'll receive, not using a fixed proportion of handicap. Whether that's a reaction to Evans' win last year or not he didn't say but it all sounds a bit iffy to me.

Seem to remember a couple of years ago an American guy came over with a hnadicap from one of the most difficult courses in America and cleaned up. He was actually cut during the competition because he was so far ahead.

It's difficult when you have amateurs with handicaps from different countries using different rules, there is no level playing field.

Commentator over here said they get two thirds of their handicap.

Murray suggested it was about that but variable. Weird.

The rules say two thirds (I checked). Evans apparently claimed a 15 handicap so received 10 shots, but his handicap in Spain was 13!

With very few exceptions, virtually all the big names are at the moment below ~100th place, which is pretty disappointing...

No American visitors in the Top 100.

Hopefully some leading golfers will rise to the top when they play Kingsbarns but so far would agree that "pretty disappointing" might be an understatement.

Anyone know why Cejka withdrew? Destiny of his career very much in the balance, even more so without a cheque this week.

Casey's golf going to the dogs:

http://www.pgatour.com/2012/r/10/05/casey-dog.ap/index.html

At least there's something to smile about when talking about Casey's golf...

Spoiler:

I haven't seen any of the TV coverage of this event yet but I would imagine it doesn't make the best viewing. Most of the higher ranked players are playing Carnoustie-Kingsbarns-St Andrews and there is currently only one player in the Top 30 on the leaderboard from that section of the draw. It would seem they might have been unlucky with conditions.

The result is that the tournament leaders might well find themselves playing away for the first 54 holes with almost no cameras on them at all.

Not as low scores as yesterday, but another great one by Grace, and if he can keep it steady and decent tomorrow at Carnoustie (perfect round by R.Jacquelin there today), he'll be tough to catch on Sunday... Unsurprisingly his Pro-Am team finished with a 57 yesterday...

Forget about Amazing Grace...
What about Amazing Phelps!!! A 53-YARD putt for eagle!!!

http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,26691,12602_8140874,00.html

As if he wasn't famous enough...

So is that longer than the Logan putt that is always hailed as the longest televised putt? Anyone know the numbers.

Whatever the case does that not show the sheer joy links conditions can bring to the game?

Shouldn't he have had the flag out or tended - he was on the green afterall. Isn't that a penalty...even for celebs

Much longer than Wogan's putt... by ~20 yards or so.
Hard to tell where Phelps is putting from there, but it looks to me that he was putting from the fringe, not on the actual green...

None of the top 30ish are playing TOC today!
Great start for Shane Lowry at Carnoustie, -3 after 4 holes...

Shocked to see Anton Haig on the leaderboard . . . . .

TOC leaders are:

1st: Oliver Wilson
2nd: Foster, Howell, Price, Gonzalez, Havret
7th: Gronberg, Aiken, Motgomerie, Gonzo

I bet that changes . . . . . . Harrington, Casey, Els, Hanson (fun if he were to win), Dustin all now inside the cut-line and on the move!

Olesen and Noren look the best places to get close to Grace today... Sizzling start by the Swede, -5 after 5...

Paul Lawrie and Schwartzel on the up, but Ramsay and Donaldson are dropping fast around the danger zone.

First serious blip from Grace, double bogey at the 15th and 'only' three shots ahead. Could the chasing pack take advantage?

Paul Lawrie missing out on the weekend fun for sure, many others shaking in their boots still...

Looks like a promissing return to form for Eddie Molinari, but only average so far from Harrington and Kaymer...

The ET website would be quicker off the mark if they were using smoke signals, but it looks as if Harrington and Kaymer are starting to make their way through the field.

Mark Foster and Thomas Aiken appear to be the leaders amongst those who played Carnoustie on Day 1. Handicap!

Great to see two of the most promissing young big guns in a duel for the A. Dunhill trophy. Olesen has certainly some steel in him, apart from the talent. A play-off would be nice, but mind you, there are a few others getting pretty close now. My (virtual) money are on Olesen...

Well done Grace, great year for him 4 wins and set up nicely for next year.