Steve Palmer's free Alfred Dunhill Links Championship predictions & golf betting tips: our top tipster has five selections in Scotland

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When to bet on the Dunhill Links Championship

By 9am on Thursday

Where can I watch the Dunhill Links Championship?

Live on Sky Sports Golf from 12pm on Thursday

Steve Palmer's Dunhill Links Championship predictions

Tom McKibbin
3pts each-way 55-1 bet365

Thorbjorn Olesen
2.5pts each-way 80-1 Paddy Power

Grant Forrest
2pts each-way 70-1 bet365

Joakim Lagergren
1.5pts each-way 150-1 Paddy Power

John Parry
1pt each-way 200-1 bet365

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Steve Palmer's Dunhill Links Championship preview

Jon Rahm heads straight from Spanish Open disappointment to the Dunhill Links, and makes no appeal at short prices. Rahm, defeated by crowd favourite Angel Hidalgo in a playoff for his national title on Sunday, is teeing up in Scotland in a bid to fulfil obligations which make him available for Ryder Cup selection.

By appealing against his DP World Tour fines for joining LIV, Rahm has been able to play the Spanish Open, the Dunhill Links and the forthcoming Andalucia Masters. He was ill prior to the Spanish Open, then his wife gave birth to their first daughter, so Rahm may lack focus and motivation at chilly Fife.

Rory McIlroy, a much more experienced Dunhill Links performer, deserves clear favouritism, given his liking for St Andrews and his runner-up finish on links terrain in the Irish Open last month. McIlroy seems a much more likely title contender than Rahm, but both can be resisted on value grounds.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Tom McKibbin 55-1

Rising star Tom McKibbin looks ready to further showcase his quality in the Dunhill Links. The Northern Irishman has been consistently excellent this year, posting 13 top-25 finishes, including eight top-tens, underlining his status as one of the best players on the DPWT.

McKibbin was a playoff loser in the Italian Open at the end of June and it seems only a matter of time before the 21-year-old wins his second DPWT title. His fans can be hugely encouraged by his last two tournaments and he appears to be peaking for the Dunhill.

A share of 30th place in the Irish Open was impressive given the extra attention and pressure the youngster faced teeing up so close to home at Royal County Down, especially when put in the marquee group alongside McIlroy.

That solid effort at home was followed by tenth place in the BMW PGA at Wentworth, where he closed with rounds of 68 and 66. McKibbin oozes class and is already a supreme ball-striker. He played loads of links golf as an amateur and finished 14th on his Dunhill Links debut 12 months ago.

Next best bet

Thorbjorn Olesen 80-1

The 2015 Dunhill Links was won in style by Thorbjorn Olesen and the Dane could be set for a repeat. His maiden DPWT title came by the coast in the 2012 Sicilian Open and he has always been an effective links golfer.

Olesen seems particularly dangerous on a low-scoring links – he is an outstanding putter – and the weather forecast indicates the professionals will be feasting on birdies this week. Thunderbear, as he is known, is well equipped to reach the total required.

Olesen is an eight-time DPWT champion. His last victory came in January with a six-shot romp in the Ras al Khaimah Championship, before his attention switched to the PGA Tour. There have been flashes of Stateside brilliance, with 14th place in the Texas Open followed by 16th in the Myrtle Beach Classic.

Olesen further advertised his links comfort with 12th place in the Irish Open last month. He has never got on with Wentworth, so his missed cut there is easily forgiven. The Dunhill, where he was runner-up in 2012, is a much more suitable assignment.

Other selections

Grant Forrest 70-1
Joakim Lagergren 150-1
John Parry 200-1

Grant Forrest closed with a 66 for fifth place in the Irish Open last month, further showcasing his ability to handle links golf. He has always been a superb links exponent. He won the 2012 Scottish Amateur at Royal Dornoch, then the 2014 St Andrews Links Trophy, before finishing runner-up in the 2015 Amateur Championship at Carnoustie. His comfort at St Andrews and Carnoustie is clear.

Forrest finished tenth in the 2022 Dunhill Links, then tenth again last year. His maiden DPWT victory came down the road at Fairmont St Andrews in the 2021 Hero Open, then he was third in the 2022 Cazoo Classic on a links. The Scot outscored everybody in the Spanish Open on Sunday, closing with a 64 for third place, so he brings form and confidence to an ideal assignment.

Complete the staking plan with two players who have been lighting up the Challenge Tour this season. Joakim Lagergren has an exceptional Dunhill record, finishing fourth on his debut in 2015, fourth again in 2016, 12th in 2017, third in 2019 and second in 2021. This time the Swede has arrived off the back of two recent victories.

Lagergren won the Irish Challenge at the start of August and another Challenge Tour event at the end of August. He is third in the Challenge Tour Rankings and has got his career right back on track at the age of 32. His maiden DPWT title came by the coast in the 2018 Sicilian Open.

John Parry tops the CT Rankings, having won three times this season. The resurgent Yorkshireman has posted eight top-tens and is in the form of his life at the age of 37. He won on the DPWT in 2010, before finishing third in the Dunhill that year. Parry finished 24th in Madrid on Sunday and is back as a Dunhill dangerman this week.

Course guide for the Dunhill Links Championship

• Course St Andrews and Kingsbarns, Fife, Scotland, and Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland
• Prize money $5m ($833,500 to the winner)
• Lengths St Andrews 7,318 yards; Carnoustie 7,394 yards; Kingsbarns 7,227 yards
• Pars All 72
• Field 168 The cut Top 60 and ties qualify for round four
• Highest-ranked players in field (world ranking in brackets) Rory McIlroy (3), Tommy Fleetwood (11), Jon Rahm (13), Robert MacIntyre (16), Billy Horschel (17)
• Course records - 72 holes of Dunhill Links Championship 264 Tyrrell Hatton (2017) 18 holes – St Andrews 61 Ross Fisher (2017), Romain Langasque (2022); Carnoustie 64 Colin Montgomerie (1995 Scottish Open), Peter O'Malley (2007), Paul Lawrie (2007), Richard Green (2007 Open), Steve Stricker (2007 Open), Shane Lowry (2013), Alex Noren (2016), Tapio Pulkkanen (2018), Tyrrell Hatton (2021), Adri Arnaus (2023), Darius van Driel (2023); Kingsbarns 60 Branden Grace (2012), Peter Uihlein (2013)
• Course winners taking part (St Andrews) Padraig Harrington (twice), Stephen Gallacher, Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, David Howell, Oliver Wilson, Thorbjorn Olesen, Tyrrell Hatton (twice), Danny Willett, Matt Fitzpatrick
• When to bet By 9am on Thursday
• When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf from 12pm on Thursday
• Last week – Spanish Open 1 A Hidalgo (225-1), 2 J Rahm (3-1), T3 S Crocker (200-1), J Dean (175-1), J Fahrbring (400-1), T Fleetwood (10-1), G Forrest (100-1), D Puig (45-1)
• Course type Links
• Course overview This Pro-Am features two rounds at St Andrews and one each at Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. There is a round at each of the three links before a cut is made and the leaders tee up on Sunday at St Andrews. The host course, with its generous fairways and a few driveable par fours, is easy in calm conditions. But St Andrews can be much tougher in strong winds. It staged the Open in 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2022. Carnoustie is by far the most difficult course – the long, demanding monster brought many players to their knees in the 1999, 2007 and 2018 Opens. Kingsbarns is the shortest venue and the only one with four par-fives, so big-hitters have an opportunity to make hay. All three tracks are set up much easier than usual to give the amateurs a chance
• Story of last year Matt Fitzpatrick won a weather-ravaged event, which was reduced to 54 holes due to flooding
• Weather forecast Cloudy and cool, with light to moderate breezes, temperatures peaking at 14C
• Type of player suited to the challenge Those with banks of links experience from the British and Irish amateur scene, the Open and this event (which was first staged in 2001) will be best prepared. Links masters possess a range of shots to handle the wind and quirky terrain. A sound temperament is required to deal with the amateur element of this event, with rounds taking an age to complete
• Key attribute Touch/putting

Steve Palmer's Dunhill Links Championship key stat

Six of the last ten Dunhill Links have been won by an Englishman

For those looking for even more extensive golf coverage don't miss Palmer's extra pointers every Wednesday in the Racing Post newspaper.

As well as his tips and insight you will also get expert spotlight comments for all players in our extensive PGA Tour and DP Tour price comparison grids which include course and recent form, plus Palmer's unique attribute icons to help identify the type of players likely to be suited to conditions each week.

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