At last, a full day’s play at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. St Andrews is back to its beautiful best, with difficult but playable winds in clear conditions, making for the perfect test of links golf.
MacIntyre claims a comfortable victory amidst a star-studded field
Robert MacIntyre claimed yet another win in his home country, courtesy of a majestic display of golf, bending the golf ball faultlessly to his will. A hat-trick of 66s (-6) saw the local lad win comfortably in the end, besting his playing partner, Tyrell Hatton, by four shots to take the title in a reduced, 54-hole tournament.
The Scotsman’s victory brings the 40th edition of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship to a close, and the amateur stars will retreat from the competitive circuit till next year. Hollywood icons were out in full force again this week, with the impressive roster including the likes of Bill Murray, Michael Douglas, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. A number of sporting legends enjoyed successful weeks out on the course, with Sir Andy Murray, Michael Vaughan, and Sir Steve Redgrave all braving the dangerous Storm Amy. Perhaps the most accomplished of them all is the NHL Hall-of-Famer, Wayne Gretzky.
“The Great One”
The 64-year-old was in fine spirits this morning, chatting to Golf Today beside the driving range in the glorious morning sun.
Nicknamed ‘The Great One’ after 20 dominant seasons in the NHL, Gretzky is widely regarded as the greatest ice hockey player of all time, still boasting 55 records of the 61 that he left with after his retirement in 1999. Despite the barbaric conditions, the Canadian has loved his time at St Andrews: “We’ve had a wonderful time, and the people have been so nice.”
Family business
Gretzky played this week with his son-in-law, Dustin Johnson, entering the final round with a team score of 14 under par. Johnson is currently the captain of the LIV Golf team 4Aces and is a two-time major winner.
“We live close to each other, and play periodically back at home. But he’s just such a joy – such a nice person and such a good man. He really makes it easy for me. I’m not the best of players, I’m like every other ten handicap – I can hit some good shots and some really bad shots, right? But he is always very positive and makes it very relaxing”, explained Gretzky when discussing the relationship with his son-in-law.
Storm Amy doesn’t dampen the fun
Even playing with prime Tiger Woods wouldn’t prepare the best of amateur golfers for the fury of Storm Amy, which suspended play on Friday and scrapped it altogether on Saturday. The 64-year-old tends to lean on the positive side of life, stating that:
“[We had a great time] other than Friday, when we played the last ten holes in a side wind and a lot of rain. As everyone says, that’s part of playing golf over here, right? Everyone gets to play in the same elements, and other than those ten holes, it’s just been a really incredible time. We’ve had a lot of fun.”
The fun seemed to continue today for the family duo, shooting a solid 66 (-6), and propelling them to a final total of 20 under par, leaving them tied for 37th place out of the 168 pairings.
Today’s round was played alongside Johnson’s great friend and fellow LIV golfer, Brooks Koepka, a man that Gretzky has great admiration for.
“I’ve played a lot with Brooks, and we’ve got him today. That just makes it a little bit easier. Because I know that the amateurs that come here can get nervous in front of people and in front of the pros, and it’s tougher than people think. But it’s fun and it’s exciting, and like I said – both of them are really nice young men.”
A man of the people
Unsurprisingly, the hockey icon has been a fan favourite this week, attracting swarms of budding ice hockey players all over the three courses.
“I’ve really enjoyed listening to the young kids telling me that they play ice hockey, and what teams they’re on. That part has been really gratifying because it’s a great game, and the game is growing. So these kids – good for them that they love the sport.”
Gretzky is a missionary when it comes to growing the game that gave him so much, founding the Wayne Gretzky Foundation back in 2002 – an initiative that provides opportunities for disadvantaged youths to play ice hockey. Returning to St Andrews for the first time in over two decades, the sporting legend is delighted to see the town’s engagement with his beloved sport.
“You know, I came here years ago, I think 2001 was the last time that I was over here, and ice hockey wasn’t highly thought of. Coming back in 2025 to see all the young kids who tell me they play ice hockey, it just shows you how much our sport is growing, and how popular it is getting.”
