Lindell gets the chance to seek revenge and have a dress rehearsal for next year’s Open at St Andrews – “It’s nice mentally not to have to worry about making the cut any more”
Oliver Lindell, now a year older, wiser and more experienced, will have the chance to take his revenge following his debut at last year’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. The three-course tournament, played in the St Andrews area, culminates on Sunday for those players who make the cut on the legendary Old Course. Last year’s tournament was limited to three rounds, so all players played each course once. In addition to the Old Course, the courses used in the tournament are Carnoustie and Kingsbarns Golf Links.
Strong winds are a hallmark of links golf, particularly in Scotland, and this year will be no exception. However, we are likely to avoid any interruptions this year, provided the forecasts prove accurate.
“We’ve been promised slightly calmer weather this year; there shouldn’t be any stormy days on the horizon. There might be a bit of rain here and there. We’ve been able to practise in good, favourable conditions – and yes, it’s windy here again. I personally like this competition; the course set-up isn’t too difficult, as the tournament is played as a Pro-Am, with amateurs taking part in the team competition,” said Lindell.
Lindell, who turned 28 on Tuesday, is aiming for considerably better results this year than last time. His hair has thinned considerably, as his promise to grow out his quiff until missing the cut has now come to fruition. He emphasised last year the importance of gaining experience on every course, both during practice rounds and in the tournament itself. Last year, his inexperience as a first-timer was evident, as he got to know almost every single bunker on the Old Course in particular.
“Preparation is the same as last year – we’ll play through all three courses. The Old Course was fairly easy again in calm conditions. Of course, you can make it difficult by hitting into every bunker, but let’s hope we have a better experience this year, weather-wise. This is, however, a good warm-up for next year’s Open, which will be played here.”
Lindell’s historic run came to an end in the last tournament, and it is often said in golf that missing the cut at the weekend can actually relieve some of the pressure. However, this will not be reflected in his playing strategy, and the aim remains to maximise his points tally over the next three-week stretch leading up to the final tournaments.
“It is, in a way, a relief not to have to worry about having to make the cut to stay in the tournament. It won’t really affect my game plan, though.”
The tournament will once again feature a star-studded line-up on the tee, comprising both professional golfers and celebrities competing in the pairs event. Robert MacIntyre will be defending last year’s title in front of his home crowd, with challengers including Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose and last week’s winner Matt Fitzpatrick. Lindell’s tee-off time and live score updates will be posted via the link below on Tuesday evening: