The Links Times £1.00 Daily News & Order of Play Round 1, Thursday 4 October, 2018 @dunhilllinks @alfreddunhilllinks Champions chasing history Three-time major winner Brooks Koepka leads the charge to be the first American winner of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, but England’s Tyrrell Hatton won’t give up his title without a fight as he aims for hat-trick Two great champions will be hoping American Tony Finau, making his my favourite place to play golf.” now he is attempting to push the to make history at this week’s Alfred debut in the event. On this occasion Koepka will be boundaries even further. Dunhill Links Championship. Koepka said: “I’m delighted to be partnered in the Team Championship “It’s more relaxing than other Reigning US Open and US PGA back at the Alfred Dunhill Links by his long-time Northern Irish caddie weeks,” he said. “My game’s in a good champion Brooks Koepka could be- Championship. Last time I played it Ricky Elliott, who has helped him to place and I’ll be trying my best to come the first ever American winner, was with my dad Bob, and it was a win three of the last six Majors. make it three in a row. I don’t feel too while trying to create a remarkable few days I will never forget. Being “He’s a big part of my success,” bad after Sunday’s Ryder Cup cele- record of his own is England’s Tyrrell able to do that at the Home of Golf added Koepka. “It’s a kind of treat for brations. I don’t see why I can’t win Hatton, bidding to become the first in such a prestigious competition him this week, especially after the again. All I can do is my best.” man to win three straight titles. with the great Scottish galleries was year we’ve had. It’s fun and hopefully Also in the mix in this potential a unique moment for both of us. he plays well and he’s not too nervous Continues, page 2 Europe v USA re-match over the “I managed to shoot 64 on the Old and can enjoy it.” great links courses of St Andrews, Course in front of him, which made No one had won back-to-back Carnoustie and Kingsbarns is Ryder me very proud. It was a great father- Alfred Dunhill Links Championships Cup hero Tommy Fleetwood and and-son moment. St Andrews is until Hatton’s success last year, and Getty Images and Ian McIlgorm Photographs courtesy of Tyrrell calls on his super sub Ruud From page 1 One of Tyrrell’s secret weapons for the last two years, amateur partner Jamie Dornan, will not be at his side this time. The hugely popular actor is filming and is not able to play, but Hatton has world-famous footballer Ruud Gullit as a high-class substitute. “If you can play with someone you can get on well with, have a bit of a laugh between shots, that’s helpful, because you are a team that week,” added Hatton. “We’ve had good fun these past two years, but Jamie can’t play this year. I’m playing with Ruud and that should be great.” “It’s a week like no other. St Andrews is such a special place. It’s a great feeling when you step on to the first tee. It’s good to be back, and you get to play two other great courses as well.” Westlife star aiming to top the charts again After a second-placed finish last year, Brian McFadden is looking for another No1 – with help from a Rock star Brian McFadden has experienced we ended up finishing second. I the drama of a Sunday at St Andrews think we shot 14 or 15 under on the in the Alfred Dunhill Links Champi- Sunday. For Rocky to finish in the top onship – and he wants more. The five and for us to finish second was Westlife star finished second in the amazing, but we are hoping to go Team Championship last year and one better this year. watched partner Robert Rock tie for “Playing on the final day is so dif- fourth place in the pro event. ferent. I remember going down to As Rock and McFadden, left, team the range on the Sunday morning. up for a third successive year, the On a normal day there are lots of singer has high expectations. people around but on a Sunday “Last year was unbelievable,” said there are only maybe 10 people. I’m McFadden, who lost out by three standing next to players like Rory shots to Kieran McManus, the Irish McIlroy. It was bizarre. stud farm owner, and his pro Jamie “Sunday is the business end of the Donaldson. tournament and I was the only “We just made the cut and then amateur in my group so I was a bit Right time, right place for Tommy Tommy Fleetwood tees off at the 18th at St Andrews yesterday, and afterwards said there was no place he’d rather be following the drama and jubilation of Europe’s Ryder Cup win. “The Ryder Cup was my best feeling in golf and it’s been great to relive those moments,” said Fleetwood, who shot a course-record 63 at Carnoustie in last year’s Championship. “But this is the perfect week to follow all of that. It’s the format, the fact that I play Jiménez cherishes with Ogden [Phipps, his amateur partner] every year. St Andrews is my favourite place to come.” his senior moment The popular Spaniard returns to the scene of his recent Major success to rekindle his Championship memories One of the world’s most popular courses and with friends, which is golfers, Spain's Miguel Angel Jiménez, even better,” he said. “I always play returns to the Old Course this week with interesting amateurs, which is to play in the Alfred Dunhill Links, great, particularly when you know barely two months after winning the you are going to spend at least three British Seniors Open here, beating days playing together. Bernhard Langer by one shot. “I cannot say I have a favourite, He said: “It was an amazing week but one year I was partnered with and very emotional. Everyone wants Hugh Grant and another year with Bill to win a Major Championship at the Murray and both guys are really funny, Home of Golf and so to win the Senior great company and lots of laughs.” Open on the first occasion it was Anyone looking for a bet on a held at St Andrews was so special.” possible hole-in-one could do Jiménez last played in the Alfred worse than having a punt on Jiménez. Dunhill Links in 2012 and says he is He had his 10th hole-in-one at the looking forward to coming back. BMW PGA Championship in 2015 – “We play three amazing links golf still a European Tour record. wary about that. You try to make your better. Every night is great crack in shots quick and get out the road. the hotel. The golf is secondary to “I think we were one ahead going the crack.” onto the 16th – then we parred 16 McFadden is just one of a super and 17 and birdied 18 but it wasn’t group of music stars playing in the enough.” Championship. He is joined by his McFadden claims he found the friend and former boy band star key to success in his first year at the Ronan Keating, Keane’s Tom Chaplin, Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Linkin Park’s Dave Farrell, Mike – making sure he enjoys himself off Rutherford from Genesis, country the course as well as on it. He says and western singer Clay Walker and relaxing with the friends he has made hugely popular legends Huey Lewis at the event is every bit as important and Bon Jovi’s Tico Torres, right. as what happens on the golf course. Walker was diagnosed with MS in “In my first year here (2016), my- 1996, but is now in remission after self and Rocky were sharing a room,” treatment and has set up his own recalled McFadden. “On the Monday charity ‘Band Against MS’. He earned and Tuesday nights he went to his $50,000 for the charity after winning bed at 7pm. I said I would do the the Million Dollar Hole shootout in same as him and not socialise during this year’s AT&T Pro-Am. the week. But then I met Jamie He says: “Golf has been a great Donaldson and we said ‘come on barometer for where I am with the let’s go out and enjoy ourselves!’ As illness. If something is not exactly soon as I relaxed and enjoyed the right, I can feel it in my golf swing whole experience I played a lot immediately.” Fit Donald fired up by Ryder Cup After over five months out with a back injury and a weekend spent tantalisingly close to the Ryder Cup action, Englishman Luke Donald is desperate to begin his comeback at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. After finishing tied seventh here last year, Donald’s game was hampered by an injury that eventually forced him out of action in April. He spent his hiatus receiving treatment, taking rest and im- pressing on television commen- tary duty, and returns for an event in which he has recorded four top-ten finishes. “After five months out I feel like I am making good progress with my back,” said Donald.