Radio presenter Chris Evans was previously banned from the Alfred Dunhill Links golf tournament following accusations about his handicap, as the event returned to Scotland in 2025 with Andy Murray and Catherine Zeta-Jones
15:46, 24 Dec 2025Updated 20:52, 24 Dec 2025
DJ Chris Evans(Image: Neil Mockford)
Radio host Chris Evans was famously banned from the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship after claiming victory in the celebrity pro-am golf event.
The competition made its return in October this year, bringing together professional golfers with amateur participants, among them Andy Murray and various celebrities, who compete as teams across three distinct Scottish golf courses.
In 2011, Evans partnered with professional golfer Nick Dougherty to claim the title with an impressive 40-under-par performance.
However, questions were raised about Evans’ 10 handicap after the pair posted what stands as the lowest ever score in the competition’s history.
Although Evans had arranged time away from his radio show to defend the trophy the following year, he learned that he had been barred from taking part, according to the Mirror. Mirror Sport has reached out to Alfred Dunhill for comment on whether the ban imposed on Evans over a decade ago still stands.
“Sadly, I will not be defending my title this year,” Evans said in 2012. “Why? It transpires I’ve been barred for life. I could go into why but frankly it’s all a bit of a bore. Suffice to say, if we were kids in the playground, the boy who owns the ball just took it home in a huff because his team didn’t win.”
Broadcaster Chris Evans is a keen golfer
Evans had beaten a field that included celebrated golf fans such as Michael Douglas, Samuel L Jackson and Hugh Grant. The 59 year old wasn’t entirely taken aback by the ban that followed, having revealed that questions were raised at the time.
“Along with congratulations, there were rumblings of dissent,” he said, according to TNT Sports.
“The gloaming was dark with talk of my handicap being too high for my ability.”
He went on to say: “It crossed my mind to set up an alternative tournament on the exact same dates. I think I’ll call it the Dung Hill Cup.”
Whilst Evans didn’t take part in this year’s prestigious pro-am, there was no shortage of celebrity appeal. The competition drew Hollywood heavyweights including Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, alongside comedy legend Bill Murray.
Musical talent on show included American rock icon Huey Lewis and Tom Chaplin, frontman of Keane. A number of sporting icons also featured on the links courses.
Tennis icon Murray, who holds aspirations of one day qualifying for The Open, was partnered with English golfer Eddie Pepperell. The pair finished on a total of -23 after three rounds of the course.
Out of the 168 teams, Murray and Pepperell finished high up the leaderboard, securing a joint-18th-place finish which they shared seven ways, including with two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson and his wife Angie.
However, the Scotsman wasn’t the highest-placed celebrity, with his namesake and Ghostbusters actor Bill Murray finishing in joint-15th alongside pro partner Jordan Smith.
Up in joint-seventh was former South Africa rugby captain Morne Du Plessis, who finished on -26 with partner Yurav Premlall, while Wall Street star Douglas finished joint-fifth on -27 with partner John Parry. Sharing fifth spot with Douglas was Piers Morgan, who has a handicap of 16, but also finished on -27 alongside professional partner Matthew Jordan.
The team competition was, however, won by Ireland’s Cian Foley – the son-in-law of Irish racehorse owner and businessman JP McManus – who scored -33 alongside Australian professional Harrison Crowe.