Brooks Koepka and Bubba Watson head US challenge at St Andrews

Two crowd-pleasing Major Champions will be playing at St Andrews in October, each hoping to become the first American golfer to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Brooks Koepka and Bubba Watson are in the strong international field which will tee off on three of the greatest Links courses in the world, culminating in the final day on the Old Course, the Home of Golf.

Koepka, winner of two US Opens and three US PGA Championships, said: “I’ve been fortunate to play in several Dunhill Links, as well as two Open Championships at St. Andrews over the years, and these trips are always highlights.”

He is already a winner in Scotland. In the early years of his career, he played in Europe and in 2013 won automatic promotion to the European Tour after winning the Scottish Hydro Challenge at Spey Valley, when he was just 23.

Koepka says he has happy personal memories of the Alfred Dunhill Links. He has played four times and was runner-up in the Team Championship in 2014.

The atmosphere on and off the course at the Dunhill is fantastic,” he says.  “I was able to play with my father one year and my good friend and caddie, Ricky Elliott, the other.  Those two weeks will always be very special to me. I love Links golf and St. Andrews is my favourite course in the world.

Koepka will be joined by two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, who will be playing in the Championship for the first time.

He said, “I’ve heard so much about the event and I’m really looking forward to playing. St Andrews is one of the most special and historic golfing locations in the world and Carnoustie is among the greatest Open Championship courses. Kingsbarns is a beautiful layout and a challenge in the wind. I'm also excited to have my wife, Angie, there with me and get to play with her too. All in all, I think we are in for a great week.”