TIM Henman, the former world No 4 tennis player, yesterday described being paired with Colin Montgomerie as "the perfect draw" in a high profile match which also features Michael Campbell and Samuel L Jackson, the Hollywood actor, in the first round of the £3 million Alfred Dunhill Links.
The fourball, which tees off today at Kingsbarns at 9.55am, is set to provide some decent golf since Henman, a member at Sunningdale, plays off 2 and Jackson is a 3 handicapper. Henman said he'd played with Monty on a number of previous occasions. "I
know him quite well, so this is the perfect draw for me."
Surprisingly, the Englishman had never teed up at the home of golf until this week. "I've not played in Scotland before, but I'm making up for it now," confessed Henman, who warmed up for the Dunhill by playing Turnberry, Kingsbarns and the Old Course. "I'm in heaven."
Asked if he could see how golf relates to the Old Course in the same way as Wimbledon does to tennis, Henman added: "There are definite similarities with the history and the tradition. I'd seen the Old Course on television and it's just a dream to play here."
Among the other Scots, Andrew Coltart returned from radio and TV work at the Ryder Cup and the US Tour championship in Atlanta to partner Dougray Scott, the Scottish actor whose passion for golf is matched only by his affection for Hibernian.
A member of the Carrick, near Loch Lomond, as well as Richmond in London, the Fifer is a handy six handicapper.
The Scots are off the first tee at St Andrews at 11.01am with Johan Edfors and Luke Wilson, the Hollywood actor, who is a member at Bel Air in Los Angeles.
In the next fourball at the Old Course, Stephen Gallacher, the champion here four years ago, has former American vice-president Dan Quayle for company. The second in command at the White House when he was elected in 1989, Quayle is a member of Pine Valley with a 7 handicap.
Elsewhere Gavin Hastings, the former Scotland rugby captain, joins David Drysdale at the Old Course, Paul Lawrie teams up with Martin Gilbert, the chief executive of Aberdeen Asset, and Sam Torrance and his son Daniel, past winners of the team event, are in action at Carnoustie. Fittingly, they're joined by another father and son combo: South Africa's David Frost and his son Sean, who plays off scratch.
At Kingsbarns, Justin Rose partners Jamie Redknapp, the Sky football analyst who used to play for Liverpool, in a pairing with fellow Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson and Huey Lewis, the American musician. Again the standard in this match should be decent since Lewis plays off 6 and Redknapp 5.
Rose, last year's runner-up, is a fan of the Dunhill pro-am format and is looking forward to partnering a friend. "We are both members of the Wisley golf club just outside London," said the Englishman. "I got to know Jamie through a mutual friend, Matt Dawson, and we've become acquainted over the past couple of years. It will be a relaxed environment. I usually play well in those circumstances."
Two-time Open champion and US PGA champion Padraig Harrington, winner in 2002 and 2006, has once again been paired with Irish racehorse owner J.P.McManus, with whom he also won the team championship in those years, to bid for a remarkable treble.
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship incorporates two separate competitions – an individual professional tournament for the world's leading golfers and a team event in which they are paired with celebrity amateur golfers.
A total of 168 teams comprising of one professional and one amateur contest the first three rounds, with one round being played at each of the three courses – St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie – in rotation. Two competitions are played concurrently – individual professional and team. The team score will be the best net score of the two players at each hole. After 54 holes the field reduces to the leading 60 professionals and ties, plus the 20 leading teams, all of whom play the final round over the Old Course at St Andrews.
• Entrance to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship will be free at all three courses today, Friday and Saturday. A ticket price of £15 (concessionary £10) will be charged for the final day's play over the Old Course on Sunday, October 5. Entry for under 16s and students is free. Tickets are available through the ticket hotline on 0870 010 9021 or at the entrance gates. There is free parking for spectators and a free shuttle bus service will be in operation between the courses today, Friday and Saturday.
The full article contains 803 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
