Alfred Dunhill Championship 2026 preview picks analysis

The galleries at St Andrews will be out in strength as Scotland's Robert MacIntyre returns to the Old Course to challenge for a second straight Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Last year, MacIntyre rounded off a memorable seven days, following his pivotal role in Europe’s magnificent Ryder Cup victory at Bethpage Black, with a dominant performance in the Dunhill Links, climaxing with a final round 66 at St Andrews for a four-shot victory.

He was cheered home every step of the way on the Old Course, as he won his second big event in Scotland, adding the Alfred Dunhill Links title to the 2024 Scottish Open, making him the only Scot, along with Colin Montgomerie, to win both.

MacIntyre said: "It was a very special time for me. I had won a Scottish Open the previous year, then the Dunhill Links and a Ryder Cup in between. That was very exciting.

"As a Scotsman there is no better place to win than St Andrews. I can’t wait to go back as defending champion later this year to see if I can do it again. I’ve always loved to come to St Andrews. I’ve been coming here with the family for years, sometimes just to walk on the beach and to be in the town.

"The whole place is golf heaven and it makes it even more fun during the Championship that so many of my family and friends are able to come to St Andrews to support me."

Dunhill Links

MacIntyre was the first Scottish winner of the Dunhill Links since Montgomerie in 2005 and only the fourth Scot to lift the trophy at the Home of Golf. Stephen Gallacher triumphed in 2004 and Paul Lawrie claimed the inaugural title in 2001.

While many of the locals will be looking to MacIntyre to win the title again for Scotland, England’s Tryrell Hatton will be many people’s favourite as he tries to win the event for the fourth time.

Hatton said: "The Alfred Dunhill Links has been a very special Championship for me, and to win a fourth would be a moment of history. I don’t think you ever go into events thinking you could actually win four times, but there is definitely something that suits me about the Dunhill."

Matt Fitzpatrick famously won both the professional title and the Team Championship with mother Sue in 2023. This year also playing is his brother Alex, aged 27, who has enjoyed a breakthrough 2026, winning the DP World Tour Hero Indian Open in March and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, alongside Matt, on the PGA Tour in April.

Tommy Fleetwood has twice been runner-up, once third and has been seven times in the top ten. His best moment came in 2019 when he and American businessman Ogden Phipps II edged out Rory McIlroy and his dad Gerry in a thrilling finish to win the Team Championship.

Cameron Smith, winner of the 150th Open at St Andrews in 2022, is hoping to become the first Australian champion of the Dunhill Links, while Bubba Watson, a double Masters champion, would be the first American winner.

Multiple major champion Brooks Koepka will also be back at St Andrews.

Koepka, winner of two US Opens and three US PGA Championships, says he is looking forward to returning, and has described the Old Course as his favourite course in the world.

"I’ve been fortunate to have played in six Dunhill Links already, as well as two Open Championships at St Andrews over the years, and these trips are always highlights to my year," he said.

"It’s a surprise to me that there hasn’t been an American winner of the Dunhill Links so far, so to achieve that this time would be a memorable moment for me in the Championship’s 25th year. I love links golf and St Andrews is my favourite course in the world. I could play there every day for the rest of my life and never get tired."

He also has happy personal memories of the Alfred Dunhill Links and was runner-up in the Team Championship in 2014.

"The atmosphere on and off the course at the Dunhill is fantastic," he added. "I was able to play with my father one year and my good friend and caddie, Ricky Elliott, the other. Those two weeks will always be very special to me.

"Playing with my dad Bob was a few days I will never forget. Being able to do that at the Home of Golf in such a prestigious competition with the great Scottish galleries was a unique moment for both of us. I managed to shoot 64 on the Old Course in front of him which made me very proud. It was a great father and son moment."

With a prize fund of $5 million, the Alfred Dunhill Links incorporates two separate competitions - an Individual Professional tournament for the world's leading golfers and the Team Championship in which the professionals are paired with amateur golfers which creates a unique atmosphere.

At the heart of the event is the Team Championship, where each professional partners an amateur. In recent years the amateurs have included Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Hugh Grant, Bill Murray, Jamie Dornan, Andy Garcia, Kathryn Newton, Ronan Keating, Justin Timberlake, Huey Lewis, Tico Torres, Sir Andy Murray, Sir Ian Botham, Joe Root, Kevin Pietersen and Ruud Gullit.

In June 2011 the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation was established as the official Foundation of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. The Foundation is committed to developing young amateur golfers in Scotland and South Africa and also supports the University of St Andrews and the St Andrews Pilgrim Foundation, which refurbishes and preserves historical monuments in the town.

Admission is free for all spectators over the first three days of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

The Courses:

The Dunhill is played over three courses - The Old Course at St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie. They are all classic links courses and the key will be the weather. If it remains calm and dry for four days you will see some low scoring. But if the wind blows we could witness some very high-profile golfers blowing their top.

Tournament Winners:

It was won in 2015 by Thorbjorn Olesen, in 2016, 2017 and 2024 by Tyrrell Hatton, in 2018 by Lucas Bjerregaard, in 2019 by Victor Perez, in 2021 by Danny Willett, in 2022 by Ryan Fox and in 2023 by Matt Fitzpatrick and last year by Robert MacIntyre. There was no tournament in 2020 because of the pandemic.

Form Guide:

Tyrrell Hatton simply adores this tournament, having won it three times but I believe that playing in front of a home gallery is going to bring the very best out of Robert MacIntyre again.

Prize Money:

Total prize money is $5m with the winner collecting 5,000 Race to Dubai points and 1,000 Ryder Cup points.

How to Watch:

Thursday, October 1, Sky Sports Golf, midday’ Friday, October 2, Sky Sports Golf, midday; Saturday, October 3, Sky Sports Golf, midday; Sunday, October 4, Sky Sports Golf, 11.30am.