Fans cheer local hero MacIntyre at Carnoustie

Scottish golf fans turned out in force at Carnoustie to cheer local hero Bob MacIntyre as he launched his bid to become the first Scot to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship since Colin Montgomerie in 2005. They thronged the short walk from the putting green to the 1st hole and surrounded the tee as he hit his first shot.

The fans also cheered the other three members of the European Ryder Cup team competing this week – three-time champion Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick – but it was MacIntyre they had come to support, many shouting ‘Well done, Bob’ and ‘Come on, Bobby’.

MacIntyre went round Carnoustie in a creditable six-under-par first round 66 and goes into the second round at Kingsbarns just three shots behind leaders, England’s Matthew Jordan, Holland’s Darius van Driel and American Ryan Brehm.

MacIntyre said he was blown away by the reception he received on Carnoustie's 1st tee. "It was brilliant, and I've never seen the 1st like that at the Dunhill Links before. It was absolutely brilliant to get that reception. Obviously, there is a good feel this year after the Ryder Cup and so it was nice that I could put on a decent show.

“66 is all right. But the energy levels are quite low. It's difficult. But you've just got to try and manage it, have a few good things in a round and enjoy yourself as much as you can. We’ll see what we can do.”

Among those on a congested leaderboard is the ominous figure of Dustin Johnson, winner of the 2016 US Open and the 2020 Masters, back at the Dunhill Links for the first time since 2012. He is on eight-under-par after a 64 at Carnoustie.

MacIntyre’s fellow Scot Grant Forrest, winner of the Nexo Championship in August, is also in a good position after a seven-under-par 65 at Carnoustie.

Leaders of the Team Championship after the first round are Jack Senior & Dery Desmond with a 17-under-par betterball score of 55 at St Andrews.

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 Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bill Murray, Matthew Goode, Ronan Keating, Tom Chaplin, Dave Farrell, Mike Rutherford, Huey Lewis, Piers Morgan, Peter Jones, Andy Murray, Wayne Gretzky, 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 40th year that Alfred Dunhill has supported golf at St Andrews – first in the Alfred Dunhill Cup from 1985, then in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship from 2001. 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.

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