Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2026
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship returned to St Andrews from 1 to 4 October 2026, marking 25 years of a unique celebration of golf, celebrity and Scottish tradition across the Old Course, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. As Adrian Meronk made history as the first Polish winner of the championship, the anniversary week also captured the distinctive atmosphere that has made the Dunhill Links a fixture of the autumn sporting calendar.
Photo Courtesy of SAFAR
Few events capture the character of St Andrews quite like the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Each autumn, the town welcomes leading golfers alongside an eclectic cast of celebrities and amateur players, with this year’s gathering carrying the added distinction of celebrating 25 years of the championship. The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship made its debut in 2001 and has since become one of the highlights of the golfing calendar. The 2026 edition took place from 1 to 4 October across three of Scotland’s most celebrated courses: the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie Golf Links and Kingsbarns Golf Links. For the first three days, play rotates between the three courses before the final round returns to the Old Course in St Andrews. The format is also what sets the Dunhill apart. Professional golfers compete alongside well-known amateur partners from sport, film, music and culture, creating an atmosphere that feels as much about conversation and camaraderie as it does about competition. For spectators, the first three days offer free admission, while tickets must be purchased in advance for the final day.
Editor-in-Chief Marina S. Haq at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2026
A Saturday evening of Scottish tradition
The championship is about more than what happens on the course. On Saturday evening, the Old Course was brought to life by a pipe band performance, while fireworks could be seen from West Sands Beach, adding a distinctly Scottish atmosphere to the anniversary celebrations. It was a fitting backdrop to a championship that has always blended the traditions of golf with a more social and cultural side of the sport.
A Pole Apart: Adrian Meronk Makes History
Adrian Meronk ended the week with his name firmly etched into the Alfred Dunhill Links record books, becoming the first Polish winner of the championship. The 33-year-old produced a composed final round of 68 at the Old Course, finishing four under par for the day and two shots clear of Casey Jarvis and Niklas Norgaard. The victory marked Meronk’s fifth title on the DP World Tour. There was more to celebrate, too. Alongside his amateur partner Tom Chaplin, lead singer of Keane, Meronk also claimed the Team Championship, giving him a double triumph at St Andrews.
Where golf meets celebrity
The championship’s appeal extends well beyond the professional leaderboard. Among the familiar faces in St Andrews this year were journalist and television presenter Piers Morgan, Scottish Ryder Cup hero Robert MacIntyre, WHOOP CEO Will Ahmed, former England footballer James Milner and 20-time Champion Jockey A.P. McCoy. Stephane Connery, son of legendary Scottish actor Sean Connery, also featured among the high-profile amateurs, adding another connection to the event’s long-standing blend of sport, entertainment and culture. This eclectic mix is central to the character of the Dunhill Links. The atmosphere is relaxed and social, with the boundaries between professional sport, celebrity and everyday life becoming deliberately blurred. Perhaps that is what makes the championship so compelling: for a few days each autumn, it becomes more than a golf tournament, bringing together different worlds against the distinctive backdrop of St Andrews. In its 25th year, that sense of tradition, personality and shared experience felt particularly at home in the town where the championship began.
