Dunhill Links Championship preview, picks and analysis

TWELVE months ago, Oliver Wilson arrived in Scotland to take part in the Alfred Dunhill Championship. He was in the wilderness, with no playing rights, and only made the field because of a sponsor’s invitation.

Wilson admitted that he had considered quitting the game but, from nowhere, he won the tournament, pocketed a huge cheque, a two-year exemption and headed for home with a huge smile on his face.

Sadly, it did not mark the return to sustained form of one of the most popular golfers on the European Tour and he has struggled ever since. But his story does prove just how quickly things can turn around and will give hope to a number of golfers languishing outside the top 110 on the Race to Dubai. Finish the season in 111th place and it is back to tour school, and nobody wants that.

Branden Grace has a superb record at the Dunhill Championship

The Alfred Dunhill Championship is played at Kingsbarns, Carnoustie and the Old Course at St Andrews – they are three of the finest courses on the planet and the tournament always attracts a star-studded field. Unfortunately, it also attracts a field of so-called celebrities who hack their way around these famous links, walk across their professional partners’ line on the greens, continue playing when they have already struck six shots on a par three and seem to have no conception of the meaning of the word ‘etiquette’.

On the other hand, it allows golfers such as Ernie Els and Rory McIlroy to share four unforgettable days with the fathers who inspired them to take up the game. And there are spectators who take a sort of perverse pleasure at being able to get up close and personal with the likes of Hugh Grant, whom I am assured is a British actor with a legion of female fans.

But back to the serious stuff. There will be a golf tournament going on and it is an important one, with big money at stake.
McIlroy knows only too well that in Danny Willett he has a serious challenger in his bid to win the Race to Dubai and it will be fascinating to see who comes out on top. Willett’s confidence seems to grow with every passing week. He is a world-class golfer these days – he may have struggled to believe it himself, but he does now, and is afraid of nobody. He will have fond memories of St Andrews, where he had a great run in The Open this year, and will be looking forward to going back.

Padraig Harrington won on the PGA Tour this year and has shown flashes of form since, none more so than during The Open. The three courses used in this event require shot-making of the highest quality – despite his trials and tribulations, Harrington remains precisely that.

There will be several course specialists taking part, and I expect most of them to be there or thereabouts.  Louis Oosthuizen won The Open at St Andrews in 2010 and was pipped in a playoff this year by Zach Johnson. He loves the place, and if he can put together two decent rounds at Carnoustie and Kingsbarns then he will be in the shake-up.

Branden Grace loves this place. He has taken his game to a new level in 2015 and would love to cap it with yet another success.

Usually the players are unrecognisable as they don tea cosies to keep out the elements and one player who relishes those conditions is Shane Lowry, who is well worth an each-way flutter.

Dunhill Links Championship Betting Picks

Each way: Branden Grace 18-1 Moved to new level this year
Each way: James Morrison 80-1 Would love to crown season with another win

Dunhill Links Fantasy Picks

Branden Grace. Will win if he has his putting boots on
James Morrison. On the crest of a wave
Jamie Donaldson. Showing signs of welcome return to form
Padraig Harrington. Lots of life left in the old dog
Tommy Fleetwood. Needs to land a big one - soon
Brooks Koepka. Now a world-class performer
Bernd Weisberger. One of the most consistent players on tour
Shane Lowry. Loves links golf and doesn’t even mind bad weather
Alexander Levy. Long overdue a good week