Alfred Dunhill Links Championship report: What happened at The Home of Golf?
Victor Perez edged out Matthew Southgate to secure his first win on the European Tour.
The Frenchman was embroiled in a tight final round battle with the Englishman who was also searching for his maiden victory.
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Perez, who lives in nearby Dundee (more on that later), headed into the final round with a share of the lead and a 2-under 70 around St Andrews’ Old Course was good enough to see him through.
Despite a blemish-free front nine Perez still found himself making the turn one behind Southgate after he birdied four of the final five holes on the way out.
From there the Englishman would not make another birdie and after dropped shots at 14 and 17 the door was open for Perez to take advantage.
Making birdie at 14 while Southgate bogeyed, the momentum shifted and the eventual champion parred the remaining holes to close out the win.
Joakim Lagergren and Paul Waring came up a couple of shots short after both players made damaging bogeys on 17. Lagergren in particular has enjoyed some good results at this event in recent times.
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English duo Tom Lewis and Tommy Fleetwood had the low rounds of the day with a pair of 64s. This saw them both move inside the top 5 and they were two of eight Englishmen inside the top 10.
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Matthew Jordan was another who enjoyed a fine week proving that his wonderful performance at the British Masters was no fluke.
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship report: Who is Victor Perez?
Perez hails from the Tarbes in the south of France but lives on Scotland’s golf coast.
Speaking to the European Tour’s website, he said: “I live in Dundee. My girlfriend lives here, she goes to dental school here. I’ve lived here for the last year and a half.
“Obviously being around and playing links all the time when I’m not in tournaments definitely makes a big difference.
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“It’s just being used to the bounce and used to the greens. I think a lot of the guys struggle with the greens being slow and, for me, it’s just a normal pace that I’m comfortable with.
“I don’t think you can play enough links golf and it definitely played to my advantage.”
And don’t we know it? Perez already has a T15 at the British Masters as well as making the cut at both the Irish and Scottish Opens.
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship report: Other talking points
While the pros were battling it out to secure an individual title at the Home of Golf, the pro-am running alongside added to the excitement of the week.
The pairs made up of one professional and one amateur were competing for the coveted title and in the end two teams were tied at the top of the leaderboard.
Tommy Fleetwood and his partner Ogden Phipps set the clubhouse target on -39 but there was a still a chance for Rory McIlroy and his father Gerry leapfrog them and take glory.
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The world No. 2 and his partner needed to play the final two holes in 3-under if they were to take the victory but despite Rory finishing with six consecutive birdies they could only equal the score set by Fleetwood and Phipps.
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In the event of a tie, the result was to be settled using the final round individual scores of the pros and this saw the honours head to Fleetwood and Ogden thanks to his 64.
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Harry Hall was playing in the Walker Cup earlier this month and made the decision to turn pro shortly after. He has now completed his first event as a professional and it was seriously impressive.
The Englishman began his week at Kingsbarns before getting an early look at the Old Course on Friday and then heading onto Carnoustie on Saturday.
He recorded rounds of 70-68-68-65 and made just three bogeys in his final 54 holes an d to top off what was the ideal first week as a professional, he played his final round alongside Rory McIlroy.
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Alfred Dunhill Links Championship report: Highlights
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