The DP World Tour returns to Bonnie Scotland for this week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, unfolding across three of the world’s finest Links venues.
Event Overview
This is a pro-am event with 168 professionals in the field, but the cut will not be determined until Sunday with 60 players progressing to the final round on the Old Course, St Andrews. They are all competing for a share of the $5M prize purse with the winner collecting $833,500 at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Defending Champion: Ryan Fox
Ryan Fox is back to defend the title he won in Scotland last year at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. His winning scorecard read 273, -15.
Course Insights
The Old Course, St Andrews will be playing 7,318 yards long with Kingsbarns just down the road playing 7,227 yards & across the water in Angus, Carnoustie will stretch out the longest at 7,394 yards.
Weather Forecast
The weather forecasts rain, rain & more rain with the possibility of brighter intervals on Saturday. Breezes will peak at around 22mph during the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Broadcast Information
This event will be screened on Sky Sports Golf with live coverage starting at midday on Thursday for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Top Picks for The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
So let’s move on with this week's selections for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Dean Burmester 25/1 EW Skybet 1-8 places
For my first and main betting selection, I’m going to point you in the direction of Dean Burmester 25/1 EW Skybet 1-8 places.
These Links courses played across three venues will definitely suit the 34-year-old South Africans game plan.
Burmester used to have the luxury of playing on both the PGA & DP World Tours but has since defected over to the LIV Golf scene and is still playing on both the Sunshine & Asian Tours.
He was 7th last time out at the St Andrews Bay Championship at Fairmont just around the corner from The Old Course so he’s been in Scotland preparing for this event with good results.
Burmester finished 11th at the 150th Open Championship on the Old Course at St Andrews last year & with the possibility of another two rounds at the home of golf, Burmester will be licking his lips at the thought of taking the Old Lady on this time around.
He also finished T10th at the Scottish Open in 2022 so this Links format should have him excited. He never played at this event last year opting to play instead at the Sanderson Farms Championship where he finished 4th but on his last appearance here in 2021 he was up there challenging eventually settling for 7th place.
It’s tricky to gauge Burmester’s stats due to him playing LIV Golf & other Tours but his DPWT figures were good, he was 3rd for Driving Distance & 11th for Putts per GIR. His last visit to the winner’s enclosure was back in 2021 when he scooped the Tenerife Open but it could be about that time again for Dean Burmester with another W in the bag on Sunday at the home of golf.
Jordan Smith 28/1 EW Paddy Power 1-7 places
For my next best pick I’m going to single out Jordan Smith 28/1 EW Paddy Power 1-7 places.
The 30-year-old Englishman has been flashing up on the radar recently and runner-up last time out at the Open de France cements my decision to include him to go well North of the border. With four Top 20 finishes at the last half-dozen attempts, Jordan Smith is clearly showing decent form & I’d expect more of the same this time out.
He was disqualified at this event last year but went well in 2019 when he finished T5th. He was in contention the last time he visited Scotland at The Renaissance Club where he finished 12th at the Scottish Open. It’s hard to believe that Smith only has a couple of DPWT titles to his name & hasn’t recorded a victory since winning the Portugal Masters over one year ago, his other W was at the European Porsche Open in 2017.
The Englishman hasn’t missed a cut for double digits now & I believe he will fair well over the next few days on some of the finest golf courses in Scotland.
He should be back at the Old Course in St Andrews for Sunday's final round when the cut is determined. If he is, then he could be up there challenging once again on the back nine with every chance of landing the hat-trick when the Englishman is crowned in Scotland with the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship title.
Ryan Fox 14/1 EW Various 1-8 places
For my final selection this week I’m going to recommend Ryan Fox 14/1 EW Various 1-8 places.
Who better to rely on than the defending champion but also the fact that the 36-year-old Kiwi won the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth just a few weeks back amongst a star-studded field.
He also finished T3rd at the Irish Open prior to the BMW so the New Zealander is arriving in Scotland better prepared than most & certainly with better form in the bag. That’s now four DPWT crowns for the Fox & it could be a famous five this weekend at St Andrew’s. With another half dozen runner-up spots including too many Top 10’s to mention. I can only envisage him up there challenging for his title defence on Sunday afternoon.
His price has definitely been shortening over the past couple of days so seems the firms are running scared already. The greens across all three venues are going to be very tricky, especially with the wind expected to pick up but you can be rest assured that Ryan is as cunning as a Fox in this department.
He’s one of the best putters on Tour & certainly in this field, it’s on the dance floors that this tournament will be won or lost & it could be Ryan Fox who’s dancing all the way into the R&A Clubhouse on Sunday afternoon when he successfully defends his crown with a hot putter to help.
The Caddy's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2023 Predictions
- Dean Burmester 25/1 EW Skybet 1-8 places
- Jordan Smith 28/1 EW Paddy Power 1-7 places
- Ryan Fox 14/1 EW Various Bookies 1-8 places
Alfred Dunhill SuperBanker Matchbet Nap
- Available on The Caddy's Telegram Channel
