Presently there are five major champions, including a former double tournament winner, confirmed to contest next month’s 25th anniversary hosting of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship over the regular three courses in Scotland.
The five – triple major champion Ireland’s Padraig Harrington and tournament champion in 2002 and 2006, double Masters winning Bubba Watson, St. Andrews Open winner Aussie Cam Smith, US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick and five-time major champion Brooks Koepka – have officially confirmed their attendance.
In mentioning Harrington he first contested the event finishing T5th on the tournament debut in 2001 while he and very good, long-time friend J P McManus jelled superbly to capture the team event both in his individul victory years.
In singling out Koepka, he and his amateur partner Paul Harris were second in the 2014 team event while this year’s event will be Koepka’s seventh appearance.
FIVE FORMER @dunhilllinks CHAMPS CONFIRMED ….
Maybe this number could rise to 9⃣ or hopefully even 1⃣1⃣ teeing-up early next month to celebrate 2⃣5⃣th anniversary of the tournament
Read: https://t.co/DhhEYTmI2R
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✅ @TOURMISS pic.twitter.com/YGasWwe3Fa
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) August 31, 2026
You can add to this list of 2026 starters Masters winner Patrick Reed, and the present Race to Dubai money-list leader, who finished T32nd in last year’s Alfred Dunhill Links while South African-born Open Champion, and winner of the Claret Jug at St. Andrews in 2010 and Alfred Dunhill Links winner in 2023, is almost certain to also again tee-up.
That makes seven.
Let’s add 2010 US PGA Championship winner and 2014 US Open winner Martin Kaymer who contested the event a year ago, and having captured the title in a 2010 season when he won four times.
Then there’s the double Masters winning pair of Dustin Johnson and Danny Willett each entrants in the Dunhill Links a year ago and with Willett proudly sitting on the famed Swilcan Bridge holding the gleaming trophy in 2021.
So, that’s 10 major champions.
We know Rory McIlroy has announced his end-of-year schedule but it disappointingly does not include the Dunhill Links, an event he and his father, Gerry have tried so many times to capture.
Okay, who is my 11th major champion?
Kiwi Ryan Fox and brilliant winner of the Open Championship captured the Dunhill Links in 2021, and won that year with dear friend the late Shane Warne as his amateur partner. It was a truly memorable ‘Down Under’ sporting moment.
And what a truly sporting moment should Fox, as only the third New Zealand male to capture a major championship, should choose to tee-up where next July he’ll defend his Open Championship title.
Bring it on!
