Alfred Dunhill Links Championship: Robert MacIntyre Close To Home Win

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2025-10-05T12:42:34.488Z

WELCOME

Hello and welcome to Golf Monthly’s coverage of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship final round.

The tournament was officially reduced to 54 holes on Saturday due to high winds on the east coast of Scotland, so a winner will be crowned today. And right now, the champion very much seems like it will be Robert MacIntyre.

A Ryder Cup winner last weekend, MacIntyre holds a four-stroke lead thanks to a round of six-under so far at St Andrews’ Old Course. Behind him and holding a chance of catching the 29-year-old are the likes of Tapio Pulkkanen and Richard Sterne, but MacIntyre holds the strongest position right now despite only having four holes left to play.

We will bring you all of the key updates as they happen across the three courses involved this week until a champion is crowned in a couple of hours’ time. Thank you for tuning in!

.@robert1lefty is chasing history!MacIntyre makes another birdie on the 10th @TheHomeofGolf to lead the #dunhilllinks by 4 shots on -17 as he seeks to become the first Scot since Colin Montgomerie in 2005 to win this title. pic.twitter.com/wZUtyfB91YOctober 5, 2025

2025-10-05T12:54:17.473Z

TRYING TO APPLY PRESSURE

Richard Sterne has just made birdie at Carnoustie’s second hole, his 11th, to reach 14-under alongside Pulkkanen.

Not long before that, the Finn chipped in from across the 16th green at Carnoustie – his seventh. The gap remains four to MacIntyre, however.

Tapio Pulkkanen moves into solo second with a chip-in at the 16th at Carnoustie 🙌#DunhillLinks pic.twitter.com/aBVBvPoJ7nOctober 5, 2025

2025-10-05T13:00:51.397Z

MURRAY MAKES MONSTER PUTT

In the team event, Eddie Pepperell and Sir Andy Murray are no doubt enjoying their round at St Andrews but look unlikely to lift the title. They’re 20-under while the leading pair of Jack Senior and Dery Desmond currently sit on 31-under.

Nevertheless, Murray has just made this absolute monster on the par-4 13th.

What a putt @andy_murray! 🎾 #DunhillLinks pic.twitter.com/qywUXwvqKcOctober 5, 2025

2025-10-05T13:03:58.622Z

LOOKING TO FINISH STRONG

MacIntyre has made par at the par-5 14th and par-4 15th and will be looking to ideally reach 20-under with a couple of birdies in his final three holes. He’s given himself a decent chance on the 16th thanks to a 320-yard drive. Only 112 yards to go with a beautiful lie.

2025-10-05T13:06:10.857Z

GAP DOWN TO THREE

Goodness me, Richard Sterne is not going away quietly. He drains a long-range putt at Carnoustie’s third to move on to 15-under.

Meanwhile, MacIntyre responds with a stunning approach, just outside Hatton’s, at the 16th. Both Ryder Cuppers will fancy walking away with birdies.

2025-10-05T13:10:16.171Z

BACK TO FOUR

MacIntyre tidies up confidently at the 16th to reach -19 and re-establish that four-stroke advantage. Hatton follows him in to make it three birdies in a row. The defending champion has put in a highly respectable showing this week.

In the team event, Senior rolls in another birdie to push he and Dery Desmond on to 32-under. They’re two clear now.

2025-10-05T13:14:50.465Z

CHASER STUMBLES

Tapio Pulkkanen puts himself in a spot of bother at Carnoustie’s 18th and fails to get up and down for par. The Finn falls back to 13-under and six strokes off the top. Even with nine holes to play along the front side at Carnoustie, that feels like too much work for anyone…

2025-10-05T13:24:39.701Z

ATTEMPTED TWO-PUTT

On the 17th, MacIntyre bails out left off the tee and has around 140 yards to the flag from the wrong side of the fairway. As a result, he chops on to the front edge of the green and will try to two-putt from the opposite end of the property.

2025-10-05T13:29:46.054Z

CLUMSY

MacIntyre eyes up his 100-foot birdie “chance” at the 17th. Remarkably, it looks as though it’s tracking to drop but ends up zipping well past. MacIntyre probably still has about 15 feet up the slope remaining.

2025-10-05T13:32:16.445Z

BOGEY

MacIntyre three-putts at the 17th to drop a shot and fall back to 18-under. The wind completely shoulder barged that putt on its way towards the hole. Still, the World No.9 leads by three with the 18th to play.

2025-10-05T13:39:21.465Z

MISSED CHANCE

Sterne had a chance to find another birdie at Carnoustie’s fifth, a par-5, but he over-borrows and the ball stays up. He remains three strokes behind with five to play. MacIntyre stands on the 18th and St Andrews knowing a birdie more or less closes the door to his rivals.

2025-10-05T13:44:26.817Z

NOT WHERE HE WAS AIMING

With help in the air at the par-4 18th, MacIntyre hits a sub-par tee shot and whiffs it out to the left. His ball ends not far from the first tee at the Old Course, so the Scot has been left with a pretty friendly angle into the front-left hole location.

His chipping has been excellent today, and another here could help ice the tournament.

2025-10-05T13:47:25.389Z

A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT

The wind has died down ever so slightly now and the sun even dared to pop its head out. What a Sunday in Scotland…

The scene right now @dunhilllinks 👌 #DunhillLinks pic.twitter.com/DpdCERjP0SOctober 5, 2025

2025-10-05T13:49:45.460Z

HATTON AND MACINTYRE GIVEN HEROES’ WELCOME

As the two Ryder Cup winners wander down one of the most iconic holes in all of golf, the crowds offer up hearty applause and cheers. Not only are they happy for the two players and their performances this week, there is a fair amount of gratitude for their Ryder Cup displays as well.

2025-10-05T13:51:17.985Z

NEAR HOLE-OUT

MacIntyre skips his ball towards the flag, stuns it into the bank guarding the edge of the green and leaves himself a three or four-footer for birdie after it rolls narrowly past the hole. That was classy from MacIntyre.

The finishing touch to a brilliant round of 66 for @robert1lefty 🙌 #DunhillLinks pic.twitter.com/L182M9BTKPOctober 5, 2025

2025-10-05T13:55:40.795Z

HATTON FINISHES UP

The Englishman finds the green off the tee but ultimately ends up three-putting from range. Nevertheless, it looks as though it will be another top-five finish at this event for Hatton.

2025-10-05T13:57:15.703Z

MACINTYRE SIGNS FOR A THIRD 66

Oh, Bob! MacIntyre misses his three-foot birdie putt low as it lips out, and he will finish with a par to sign for a third 66 in succession. That consistency looks like it should be rewarded, but Sterne remains in with a chance.

Clubhouse target set at -18 💪The wait begins for Bob…#DunhillLinks pic.twitter.com/c1mTHyMvBdOctober 5, 2025

2025-10-05T13:59:03.426Z

STERNE IN TROUBLE

The only man who can catch MacIntyre now is Richard Sterne. However, he found the bunker at the par-5 sixth and is up against it for par.

2025-10-05T14:00:30.722Z

BAD TIME FOR A BOGEY

Sterne whips his ball out of the greenside bunker at the par-5 sixth but leaves himself maybe six feet for par. The par effort is really tame, though, and the South African drops a shot.

MacIntyre, who is now in the clubhouse at St Andrews, has a four-stroke lead once more. Sterne has three holes left to pull a rabbit out of the hat.

2025-10-05T14:12:18.521Z

CADDYSHACK LEGEND ENDS ON A HIGH NOTE

No gophers out there for Bill Murray to deal with today, so he’s been able to concentrate on enjoying another trip around the Old Course. Despite sending his tee shot towards the crowd down the right at 18, Murray cleverly navigates his way to a par at the 18th and basks in the acclaim of the crowd.

2025-10-05T14:16:31.392Z

TWO HOLES TO PLAY

Sterne goes over the back of the par-4 seventh at Carnoustie and manages to two putt from the first cut to save his par. However, that’s not going to be enough to scare MacIntyre, with the trophy almost certainly heading in the Scot’s direction.

2025-10-05T14:33:55.325Z

STERNE PAR

Another par at the par-3 8th for Sterne. He actually did quite well to escape without a bogey in all fairness. But it’s over to the ninth to dot all the is and cross the ts on this one.

2025-10-05T14:38:12.872Z

FIGHTING FOR SECOND

Sterne put his drive right in the middle of a brook down the right side of the ninth at Carnoustie. Fortunately for the South African, the ball’s position (and lack of water) gave him the chance to advance it down the hole without a penalty.

Still not on the green, Sterne needs to get up and down to finish in a tie for second alongside Tyrrell Hatton (-14).

2025-10-05T14:43:47.971Z

NOT TO BE FOR STERNE

While it won’t be Richard Sterne’s week in terms of lifting the trophy, the South African has done enough to retain his DP World Tour playing rights. He’s projected to rise to 66th in the Race To Dubai.

And although this finishing stretch is disappointing, ending with a bogey, he will see the bigger picture in time and be a mightily relieved man, I’m sure.