World's Top Two Compete in dunhill links championship

The world’s top two players, Vijay Singh and Ernie Els, will head a superb field, including ten of Europe’s triumphant Ryder Cup Team, when they tee up in the dunhill links championship over three of Scotland’s greatest courses this week.

World Number One, Singh, an Honorary Member of The European Tour, has won five of his last six tournaments including the US PGA Championship, his third Major title, and eight times in total during a phenomenal season in which he has so far won a record $9,455,566 on the US PGA Tour.

The Fijian, playing in Europe for the first time since ousting Tiger Woods at the top of the Official World Golf Ranking, will be joined at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns by new World Number Two, Els, US Open Champion, Retief Goosen, and ten of Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup Team, including home favourite Colin Montgomerie, who holed the winning putt at Oakland Hills Country Club, and the defending champion Lee Westwood in a world class line-up.

Els took over as Number Two in the world last weekend after winning a World Golf Championships individual title for the first time when he captured the American Express Championship at Mount Juliet Conrad in Ireland.

As well as local favourite Montgomerie – who can expect a warm reception in his native country – other Ryder Cup Team Members on parade are Paul Casey, Darren Clarke, Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington, the 2002 dunhill links champion, David Howell, Thomas Levet, Paul McGinley and Ian Poulter.

Three time Major Champion Nick Price is also in the field along with other Major Champions Rich Beem, Fred Couples, Ben Curtis, Steve Elkington, Paul Lawrie - the 2001 dunhill links champion - Sandy Lyle, José Maria Olazábal, and Ian Woosnam.

Some of the most exciting young golfers in the world will be in the field including Australia’s Adam Scott, currently 12th in the Official World Rankings, who won The Players Championship at Sawgrass in May and the Booz Allen Classic in June. Scott has won over $3 million in prize money so far on the US PGA Tour this year.

The dunhill links championship was conceived as a celebration of links golf and is played over three of the world’s best known and respected links courses: the Old Course at St Andrews, the Championship Course at Carnoustie, and the highly regarded Kingsbarns Golf Links.

Westwood returns as defending champion following his stunning victory 12 months ago when he shot a courageous last round 67 on the Old Course at St Andrews to win by a stroke from Els in front of record crowds.

There was also an emotional moment which delighted the Scottish golf fans when 2002 European Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance playing with his 15 year old son Daniel won the team pro-am competition. The Torrances return to defend their title.

Personalities from the world of sports and entertainment like will once again share centre stage with top golfers including four-time Olympic rowing gold medallist Matthew Pinsent, his former rowing partner Sir Steve Redgrave, past and present England cricket captains Ian Botham, Nasser Hussein and Michael Vaughan, and football legends Sir Bobby Charlton, Johan Cruyff and Kenny Dalglish.

Supermodel Jodie Kidd, who plays polo for England and is an avid golfer, leads a strong celebrity entry, which also includes Samuel L Jackson, Barry Richards, Zinzan Brooke, Will Carling, Franz Klammer, Peter Schmeichel, Michael Lynagh, Nigel Mansell, Kapil Dev, Michael Douglas, Sean Fitzpatrick, Gianluca Vialli, Hugh Grant, Dan Quayle and Ian Wright.






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