The third day’s play at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship has been postponed following heavy rain in Scotland. The tournament, which is one of the richest golf events on the European Tour, is played on three different links courses: St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.
Rain disrupts play for Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
The rain started to fall on Friday night and continued throughout Saturday morning, making the courses unplayable. The organizers decided to abandon the third round and reschedule it for Sunday, with the final round to be played on Monday. The decision was made in consultation with the players, who agreed that it was the best option give weather conditions.
The tournament director, Jamie Birkmyre, said: “We have had a lot of rain overnight and this morning, and unfortunately the courses are saturated. We have looked at various options to try and get some play today, but none of them were feasible. We have therefore decided to postpone the third round until tomorrow and move the final round to Monday. We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of the players, the spectators and our partners in this situation.”
Trio at the top for Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
The postponement means that the leaderboard remains unchanged from Friday, with three players sharing the lead at 11 under par. They are Calum Hill of Scotland, who shot a 65 at St Andrews on Friday; Matthew Southgate of England, who carded a 66 at Carnoustie; and Niall Kearney of Ireland, who fired a 65 at Kingsbarns.
Hill, who is playing in his home country, said: “It’s always nice to be in contention, especially at an event like this. It’s a great tournament with a lot of history and prestige. I’m looking forward to getting back out there and hopefully playing some good golf.”
Southgate, who has four top-10 finishes on the European Tour, said: “I’m very happy with how I’ve played so far. Carnoustie is a tough course and I managed to score well there. I’m excited for the weekend and hopefully I can keep it going.”
Kearney, who is a former Walker Cup player, said: “It’s been a fantastic two days for me. I’ve played really well and made a lot of birdies. It’s a dream come true to be leading such a big event. I’m just going to enjoy it and see what happens.”
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Celebrity show
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship also features a pro-am format, where each professional is paired with an amateur partner, usually a celebrity or a businessperson. Some of the famous names taking part this year include actors Bill Murray, Hugh Grant and Jamie Dornan; singers Ronan Keating and Brian McFadden; footballers Luis Figo and Michael Ballack; and cricketers Kevin Pietersen and Shane Warne.
One of the highlights of the first day was Bill Murray’s hilarious antics on the course, where he entertained the crowd with his jokes and gestures. The Hollywood star, who is paired with South African pro Brandon Stone, said: “I love playing golf in Scotland. It’s such a beautiful place and the people are so friendly. And the weather is perfect for comedy.”
The pro-am competition is led by Southgate and his partner, businessman Dermot Desmond, who have a combined score of 17 under par. They are followed by Hill and his partner, former rugby player Mike Tindall, who are at 16 under par.
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