Big Names Set To Take Part At The Alfred Dunhill

Although anyone with an interest in golf will be viewing events at the Ryder Cup over the next few days, that is not the only famous tournament to take place in September and although it may have a number of format changes over the years, it is no less prestigious because of it.

Because what is now the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, was previously known as the Alfred Dunhill Cup and whereas before it was a team event for nations, it is now a combined offering across four days of top golfing action.

While the reason for its combination is because of two tournaments that run parallel with each other and although there is an individual prize on offer, there is also a pro-am pairs competition that runs alongside it.

Which means after the first 54 holes, the top 60 professional and top 20 pro-am pairs, are afforded the opportunity to play the final round and from there, the winners will then be decided on the Sunday.

Of course, what makes this championship even more interesting, is the fact that the event is split over three different courses, and this always has the potential to throw the sporting cat amongst the pigeons.

To the point where it is rather difficult to predict a winner and for those who are looking to put their money where their mouth is, betting on the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is one of the trickier wagers to place.

Although it is difficult, it is not impossible either and with the BetMGM sportsbook ready to accept your bet, selecting who will win after 72 holes of entertaining golfing action, may also lead to punter profitability.

Which means the focus will be placed on those professionals who are entering the fray for 2021 and with no edition of the championship in 2020, the sight of links golf will once again be welcomed by players and fans alike.

With no winner last year, it means having to look back to 2019 for some form of insight and with Frenchman Victor Perez winning the last staging of the championship, he has announced a return at the end of the September.

Perez is perhaps not the biggest name on the list of entrants for this year, but he does have a winning pedigree and as someone who has managed to come out on top, that is not an attribute that should be overlooked.

Then again, if you were to overlook the man who won here last time out, then you may have good reason to do so, and that reason may be the fact that Padraig Harrington has recently announced his own entry for 2021.

The Irishman will bring a rich golfing pedigree to each of the three courses and when you consider that the now 50-year-old is Europe’s Ryder Cup captain for this year’s skirmish, his experience will put him at the sharper end of the odds market.

Of course, Harrington is not the only star with Ryder Cup links to appear at this year’s Alfred Dunhill and with two of his European dozen also joining proceedings, Tyrrell Hatton and Shane Lowry will be aiming to appear after a sensational stateside win.

Whether that can be achieved is something that remains to be seen and with Europe going into this year’s edition of the Ryder Cup as the underdogs, retaining the trophy could prove to be a rather tall order.

Then again, it is fair to say that Europe suits the role of underdogs better than their American counterparts and when the pressure is off, they then have a habit of delivering when it really matters.

Whether Hatton and Lowry can play an instrumental part in Europe’s success, only time will tell. However, if they can, then they, along with team captain Harrington, will be given a hero's welcome at the end of the month.

Of course, the heroes will then have to fight for themselves and with only individual honours up for grabs, the team loyalty that will hopefully bond the three men the weekend before, will be nothing more than a distant memory at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.