Takes the Lead at St Andrews

CATCH OF THE DAY AS ROSS FISHER TAKES THE LEAD AT ST ANDREWS

 ‘I had a chance to win in 2008, hopefully I can keep it going’ says England’s Fisher after 68 at St Andrews  Marc Warren is leading Scot after 66 on the Old Course  Otaegui and Quattrone stay ahead in Team Championship  Leading amateurs join top professionals in celebration of links golf

ST ANDREWS, October 7, 2016 – England’s Ross Fisher shot a battling 68 in windy conditions at St Andrews to take a one-shot lead into today’s third round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Fisher started the day a shot behind first round leader Alex Noren, but he caught and overtook the Swede, who could only manage a 71 at Kingsbarns.

Fisher is starting to enjoy a rich vein of form. Just two weeks ago he lost a play-off in the Porsche European Open to Alexander Levy and now has his sights firmly set on his first European Tour victory since March 2014.

He said: “I’m delighted. This is always an event I really look forward to. I had a chance to win back in 2008 when I lost in a play-off with Robert Karlsson and Martin Kaymer. I just enjoy coming here. Hopefully I can keep it going.

“Not dropping a shot at Kingsbarns was a real achievement, then coming to St. Andrews, where the greens are going to be a little bit slower, I felt like I played well. I bogeyed the 11th, but I bounced back. To shoot 4-under, I'm very, very pleased.”

Fisher, who plays the more difficult Carnoustie today, is on 11-under-par, with another Swede, Joakim Lagergren, one shot behind and Noren a further shot back.

The tournament, conceived as a celebration of links golf, is played over three of the world’s best known and respected links courses - the Old Course at St Andrews, the Championship Course at Carnoustie and the highly regarded Kingsbarns Golf Links.

One of the rounds of the day was a 66 on the Old Course by Scotland’s Marc Warren, which lifted him into a tie for sixth, five shots behind Fisher. He said: “I had a poor start at Kingsbarns, so knew I had to play well today and thankfully I did. From start to finish I stroked the ball really well and managed to hole some good par putts and kept everything going.

“This is one of the best tournaments we play all year. The golf courses are amazing and it’s a very enjoyable week. The amateur partners I have had over the years have been interesting and good fun.”

With a prize fund of US$5 million, the championship incorporates two separate competitions - an individual professional tournament for the world's leading golfers and a team event in which the professionals are paired with some of the most celebrated amateur golfers which creates a unique atmosphere. Among the celebrity amateurs playing are film stars Jamie Dornan, Andy Garcia, Matthew Goode and Hugh Grant, rock stars David Farrell, Ronan Keating, Huey Lewis and Brian McFadden and many great sporting idols including Sir Ian Botham and Sir Steve Redgrave, who have both played in all 16 Alfred Dunhill Links Championships, cricketers Kevin Pietersen and Shane Warne, Irish rugby star Brian O’Driscoll, record-breaking jump jockey Sir Anthony McCoy, star international footballers Michael Ballack, Luis Figo and Ruud Gullit and former Formula One world champion Damon Hill.

Leaders in the Team Championship remain Adrian Otaegui and Frank Quattrone who improved their score to 21-under and now take on Carnoustie tomorrow.

In June 2011 the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation was established as the official Foundation of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, formalising years of charitable giving from which a variety of causes have benefitted. Since 2001, playing spots have been donated to more than 50 different charities to help them to raise funds.

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.

To access the live scoring for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, please direct your web browser to: http://www.alfreddunhilllinks.com and click on LIVE SCORING

Pictures available on www.gettyimages.com Admission is free for all spectators over the first three days with final day tickets on Sunday, October 9 available to purchase at the entrance gates for £20 (Seniors £15) or in advance at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/alfred-dunhill-links-championship-tickets-25844992067

For further media information, please contact: Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Media Office Tel: +44 (0) 20 7514 2867 Email: [email protected] www.alfreddunhilllinks.com

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