Date: 8 - 11 July, 2021
Course: Renaissance Club, North Berwick, Scotland
Length: 6,668 meters
Par: 71
Key Stats
- Greens In Regulation
- Strokes Gained: Approach
- Scrambling
- Putting Average
- Birdie or Better
- Par 5 Scoring
- Scottish Open Form
- Irish Open Form (2017-19)
- Open Championship Form
- Alfred Dunhill Links Form
Tournament Winners
2020 - Aaron Rai
2019 - Bernd Wiesberger
2018 - Brandon Stone
Winner Profile
A strong links pedigree is obviously essential here. Most of the winners over the last decade have been in form with a Top 10 in one of their four previous starts. PGA Tour players have a solid record in what is the final hitout before the Open Championship.
Top Chances
Collin Morikawa: Tremendous young star who looks like he will be perfectly suited to links golf. Leads the PGA Tour on GIR, Strokes Gained: Approach and Birdie or Better while he ranks 6th in Putting Average and 15th in Par 5 Scoring. Thrives when conditions get difficult.
Tyrell Hatton: ‘Lord’ Tyrell Hatton is an out-and-out links liver. He won the 2017 Alfred Dunhill and second in 2017 while he finished T-6 at the most recent Open Championship. Ranks 11th on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach and 15th in Putting Average.
Mid-Tier Chances
Tommy Fleetwood: Arguably no player in the field has a preference for links golf more than Tommy Fleetwood. He has finished Top 12 in the last two Open Championships including a T-2 at the last staging. He finished 2nd here last year. He has finished Top 5 in the last two Alfred Dunhill Links. Ranks Top 20 on the European Tour in GIR and Scrambling.
Sam Burns: Rising talent on the PGA Tour. Ranks 2nd in Birdie or Better, 7th in Putting Average, 12th in Par 5 Scoring and 19th in Strikes Gained: Approach. Looks a huge price.
Garrick Higgo: It has been an astonishing year for the South African who has won twice on the European Tour and once on the PGA Tour. Has a great record in Europe. Ranks 2nd in Putting Average, 3rd in Par 5 Scoring, 7th in Birdie or Better and 18th in GIR. South Africans have a great record in this event.
Sam Horsfield: Horrendous last week but is known to mix form. Ranks 1st in Birdie or Better, 2nd in Strokes Gained; Approach, 4th in Putting Average and 12th in GIR. Posted a Top 25 in the 2018 Irish Open.
Outside Chances
Ryan Fox: New Zealander who plays his best golf on links courses. Ranks 5th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 7th in Par 5 Scoring and 11th in Birdie or Better on the European Tour. Top 4 finishes in the 2017 and 2018 Irish pens while was T-16 in the 2019 Open Championship.
Matthew Southgate: Links specialist who may be returning to some form with three Top 25s in his last six starts including a T-2 in the Porsche European Open. Finished 2nd at the 2019 Alfred Dunhill Links, 2nd in the 2017 Irish Open and 6th in the 2017 Open Championship.
