This week the DP World Tour heads to Scotland for the 2026 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. This is a unique event in the sense that it takes place across three different links golf courses, with the cut not coming until after the third round, once all players have played each course once. The top 60 and ties then return to play the final round on Sunday.
So, across Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the field will play the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, before the final day plays out back on the Old Course at St Andrews, which is obviously one of the most spectacular and most famous venues in the golfing world.
We have a bunch of really good players set to line up here too. We have last week’s Open de France winner Matt Fitzpatrick, who actually won this event back in 2023, while the 2024 winner Tyrrell Hatton is also back in the field, along with last year’s winner Robert MacIntyre. So, it really is a top quality tournament this week, and we have some serious class involved.
Before I analyze the courses, here’s a quick list of my Alfred Dunhill Links Championship best bets after that.
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2026 Best Bets: Ginger Joe’s Squad
| Contestant | Odds to Win |
|---|---|
| Alex Noren | +1400 |
| Alex Fitzpatrick | +2000 |
| Robert Macintyre | +1200 |
| Joe Dean | +6000 |
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Course Analysis
With the event being played across three different courses, the question you will all be asking is how we find our selections, and what exactly should we be basing them on? Well, the first thing I’d say is that, if you can wait until the tee times are out, that could be a big benefit.
The reason is that the scoring averages from last season show a pretty significant difference between the three courses.
Kingsbarns had an average score of 70.23, which was the lowest of the three. That’s no real surprise when you consider that it has four very reachable par fives and generally gives players plenty of scoring opportunities.
St Andrews was next at 70.36, and as we know, that is a very scoreable course when the conditions are calm.
The hardest course of the three by some distance though, was Carnoustie, which had an average of 72.80. That is a pretty big difference across the three courses.
So, if you can wait until the tee times are out, I would certainly be interested in players who start at Kingsbarns. Getting off to a fast start is always welcomed in a tournament like this, and there should be plenty of good scores available around that course this week. However, the course rotation is just one angle. Of course, we have the player attributes to look at too.
Now, across these three courses, you can score well with a variety of different attributes. I can’t really see one standout profile that we need to focus on. Тhat is probably why we get such classy winners of this event, because over three very different courses and four rounds, class generally tends to come out on top with their being no significant standout attribute to focus on.
Still, you definitely need to be a good ball striker, that’s for certain. You are going to face a variety of different challenges across these three links courses, and I want players who can consistently strike the ball well and create plenty of spin. So, every player in my squad is a solid ball striker, and I think that is going to be a really important factor this week.
Let’s get into the squad now then, but before we do, make sure you sign up to The Sports Geek completely free for more of my golf previews, tips and analysis throughout the season.
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1. Alex Noren (+1400)
Alex Noren is a player who will look quite short in the market to many, and I do agree to an extent. However, I think there is good reason to see him as a genuine contender this week.
His pedigree on links courses is very strong. Not only is he a Scottish Open winner, but he has also recorded six top-20 finishes in The Open, so he clearly knows what he is doing in these conditions. I think that experience could play a big part over the four days too.
But this isn’t simply about Noren being a consistent player. He has the ability to go very low as well, and he actually held the Carnoustie course record of 64 until Tommy Fleetwood bettered it by one shot a year later. That is a pretty good indication of how well his game can suit this course.
This is exactly the sort of venue where I can see Noren playing well. He is a very good links player, has plenty of experience, manages courses extremely well and can score low when the opportunity presents itself. Furthermore, he is also good at limiting the damage when things aren’t quite going his way.
He may well go slightly under the radar throughout the tournament because he will just plot his way round, but I think he has a very good chance of putting together a strong week. There is plenty to like about his profile here, don’t be put off by the price.
2. Alex Fitzpatrick (+2000)
Alex Fitzpatrick is back in the squad this week for the Alfred Dunhill Links, and this looks like a really good opportunity for him to put together a good number.
I’ve spoken about him a few times this season because he has been very impressive. Alex won the Hero Indian Open, which for me, is one of the toughest course they take on during the season outside of the majors. He then followed that up by winning the Zurich Classic on the PGA Tour alongside his brother. So, there is no doubt about his quality.
He has enjoyed a fine season on the PGA Tour. As well as the Zurich win, he has another five top-10 finishes to his name on the PGA Tour, and he looks like a player who could kick on again between now and the end of the season.
Alex has become a really good ball-striker, while I’ve also been very impressed with his work around the greens. He has all the skills required to win this event, it’s just a case of timing with him.
Hopefully, that time is now. Alex Fitzpatrick fits all three courses nicely and recently finished tied seventh in the Irish Open, so he should relish these conditions. Let’s hope for a really good week, because he has as strong a chance as anyone and could potentially win just a week after his brother lifted the title in France.
3. Robert Macintyre (+1200)
Robert MacIntyre is the obvious one for me this week. He is going to be towards the front of the market, so this is strictly a win-only bet, but I think there is more than enough reason to include him on your betting card.
He is the defending champion, and that is a pretty big positive around these three courses. Macintyre won this event last year by four shots, shooting back-to-back 66s at Carnoustie and Kingsbarns before finishing the job around the Old Course. It was a really impressive performance, and one that showed just how well his game suits this format and these conditions.
He is also coming into the week playing some really good golf. He has had nine top-25 finishes on the PGA Tour this season, including a fourth at The Players, second at the Valero Texas Open, third at the Scottish Open and seventh at the BMW Championship. The overall level of his game has been very strong.
But ultimately, it is the course fit that really stands out. He is a Scottish player who clearly enjoys links golf, has already won the Scottish Open, and now has a victory at Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and St Andrews to his name. There is no guessing whether he can handle these courses because he has already done it.
He is the defending champion, he knows exactly what it takes to win this event, and his game looks in good enough shape to do it again. He is short enough in the market that I wouldn’t be interested in him each-way, but as a win-only play, I think MacIntyre makes a lot of sense.
4. Joe Dean (+6000)
Joe Dean is one I really like this week, especially at around +6000, it makes him a really intriguing contender in his current form.
He has been playing some really good golf over the last few months. Joe won the British Masters with a brilliant closing 63, and that has really been the start of a very good run of form. He then finished ninth at the BMW International Open and has followed that with a third at the KLM Open and, more recently, an 11th at the Open de France.
I also think these conditions could suit him. He is a very good ball-striker when he is playing well like he is currently. His recent form clearly shows he can score very low when things click, and we have already seen him produce some excellent golf on links courses this year. The fact he has now won on the DP World Tour should also give him plenty of confidence coming into this.
I don’t think we need everything to go perfectly for him to have a chance. He is in form and has already proven he can win at this level. Joe is a player who could quite easily put himself into contention over the weekend. At +6000, I’m happy to take the chance that he can put it all together again. I think he has a very realistic chance of winning this, and if not, the place money pays plenty too.
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