Scotland’s Stewart takes a long drive to the Dunhill and shares the lead
24 hours after finishing second on the Tartan Tour, Michael Stewart found himself sharing the lead at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship with Australia’s Jack Buchanan – while 2023 champion Matt Fitzpatrick lurks three shots back.
Michael Stewart begins tomorrow’s second round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship as the frontrunner for home hopes of a second successive Scottish winner. After Ryder Cup star Bob MacIntyre’s popular victory in 2025, Stewart finds himself in unchartered waters at the top of a DP World Tour leaderboard.
After a seven-under-par 65 at Carnoustie, Stewart, 36, shares the lead with Jack Buchanan, who matched that score at Kingsbarns.
Stewart has won twice this year on Scotland’s Tartan Pro tour – at Montrose and Portlethen. While the big names were enjoying a practice round on Wednesday, Stewart was finishing second in the Duddingston Classic before heading to Carnoustie and the glamour of the Alfred Dunhill Links.
“It was fine,” he said of his busy schedule this week. “I played Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, straight here and these are courses I know well, anyway. I have played here a lot in the past and I’m just delighted to be part of the event. It's easy to get yourself up for this, isn't it?”
Stewart surged after an eagle at the 12th hole and said he is comfortable on all three of the courses here.
“The front nine [at Carnoustie] is sort of tricky into that wind. You get to 10; you know there's going to be a lot more chances. And I just managed to put myself in good spots and managed to hole some putts.
“I feel at home playing links golf. I grew up on a links course. I don't mind the wind. As long as the rain stays away, we're good to go.”
The two leaders are being chased by a pack of Springboks: incredibly, South Africa accounts for the next seven names on the leaderboard, with Casey Jarvis and MJ Daffue one shot behind the leaders, one ahead of Dean Burmester, Brandon Stone, Daniel Van Tonder, Christiaan Burke and Hennie Du Plessis.
Three shots off the lead is the world No 4 and 2023 champion Matt Fitzpatrick, who shot 68 at Carnoustie. One shot further back, Brooks Koepka leads American hopes of a first Alfred Dunhill Links champion from that country.
Football legend James Milner got off to a strong start on his debut at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship after posting a combined team score of 10-under par to sit two shots off the lead in the Team Championship. The Champions League winner, playing alongside pro partner Sean Crocker, has set his sights on making the cut on his first appearance – and took advantage of perfect conditions today on the Old Course.
The early pace was set in the Team Championship by MJ Daffue and his amateur partner Paul Harris, who share the lead on 12-under par with Spaniard Ivan Cantero and Thomas Jermoluk. 20-time champion jockey AP McCoy and pro partner Ryggs Johnston are three shots back on nine-under par.
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is a celebration of Links golf, played over the Old Course St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, three of the greatest Links courses in the world, culminating in the final day on the Old Course on Sunday.
With a prize fund of US$5 million, the Alfred Dunhill Links incorporates two separate competitions - an Individual Professional tournament for the world's leading golfers and the Team Championship in which the professionals are paired with amateur golfers which creates a unique atmosphere.
Among the celebrity amateurs playing are Michael Peña, Ronan Keating, Tom Chaplin, Dave Farrell, Mike Rutherford, Huey Lewis, Piers Morgan, Peter Jones, Gareth Bale, James Milner, Ruud Gullit, Kelly Slater, Steve Redgrave, A.P. McCoy, Kevin Pietersen, Allan Lamb, Mark Nicholas, Schalk Burger Jnr, Morne du Plessis and Rob Louw.
This is the 25th year of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and during that time, many millions have been raised for charity. In June 2011 the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation was established as the official Foundation of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. 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.
