DP World Tour pro on Dunhill Links: "Complete shambles, most unfair tournament"

EXCLUSIVE! DP World Tour pro blasts Dunhill Links as 36 players walk out of event before final round...

10 Oct 2023

DP World Tour pro on Dunhill Links: "Complete shambles, most unfair tournament" — DP World Tour pro on Dunhill Links: "Complete shambles, most unfair…

DP World Tour pro Joost Luiten has labelled the recent Dunhill Links a "complete shambles" and "one of the most unfair tournaments ever played" in an exclusive interview with GolfMagic.

Luiten, 37, was one of 36 DP World Tour players to walk out of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship ahead of Monday.

The tournament was reduced to a 54-hole Monday finish as a result of all three rotation courses - St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie - being under water for the entirety of the weekend.

Carnoustie was in the worst state of the three links courses by some margin, as you can see from these images below from Sunday.

Carnoustie at 15:20. Tricky tee shot at 17. @ewenmurray77 @dunhilllinks @dpwtc @BenColeyGolf
Take a miracle for this to be on tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/XoIjqc3Pv3
— Dylan (@ArbroathJambo) October 8, 2023

The DP World Tour held a 7.30am inspection at Carnoustie on Monday but officials deemed the course was still playable.

Had it not been deemed playable then the event would have been null and void.

Those players competing at Carnoustie in the third and final round teed off at 11.30am, while those at St Andrews and Kingsbarns commenced at 9.30am.

Luiten, who found himself at level par thru 36 holes, thought better of the situation and decided to check out of Scotland along with 35 other players ahead of the final round.

The six-time DP World Tour winner still had Carnoustie to play, but he was not prepared to compete on what he called "still a flooded" golf course.

Luiten, who sent GolfMagic the image of a water-filled Carnoustie at the top of the page, would have also had to shoot 7-under par in the final round just to make any money and ranking points from the week, which was another reason for his WD.

The Dutchman therefore thought the best option was to leave early and best prepare himself for this week's Open de Espana on the DP World Tour.

Luiten told GolfMagic:

"The Dunhill Links was a complete shambles... I will go as far to say it was probably one of the most unfair tournaments I have ever played.

"If the course [Carnoustie] is in conditions such as this then I don't think it's fair to have a competitive round on it, especially not if you play the two other courses that are completely different and play like normal.

"Apparently at Carnoustie they had to move tees and change pin locations just to play... and fairway bunkers were penalty drops. How can this be fair competition?!

"So I decided to WD like a lot of other guys to best prepare for Spain this week and because of the flooded course at Carnoustie. I would have also needed to shoot 7-under par to make the cut."

Luiten's views were reflected by Gareth Bale's Dunhill Links pro Romain Langasque, who also hit out at the tournament when responding to Sky Sports' Jamie Weir.

Langasque tweeted: "...was playable for a Sunday with friend but not for a last round tournament."

Oliver Wilson, who finished T25, had a slightly more balanced view on proceedings, however, as he told GolfMagic:

"It was an impossible position to please everyone due to three courses and not everyone playing the same. The DP World Tour was trying to find a middle ground that was acceptable to get the tournament finished. I think most people would have rather that outcome."

Matt Southgate, who finished T2, told The Scotsman the high number of WDs was not down to an "attitude problem".

"We’ve got another tournament this week in Madrid and preparation takes a bit of time. We are all so stuck in our ways as pro golfers when it comes to our routine. Finishing on a Monday, if you were going to play today and not make any money or pick up any points on the order of merit, I’d imagine it’s easy for the focus to slip off to Madrid and want to get started there. I certainly don’t think any of the players have an attitude problem. I just think it’s been a long weekend if you are sitting on a few over par. You kind of feel for the guys and wish them all the best to get off safely to Madrid and get their prep done for this week."

England's Matt Fitzpatrick went on to win the event by three strokes on 19-under par.

Fitzpatrick carded a round of 66 on the famous Old Course at St Andrews to see out his ninth DP World Tour.

He also won the team event alongside his mother, Susan.

What did you make of the Dunhill Links still going ahead on Monday? Should the tournament have been called off or did tournament officials make the right call, especially with Tour cards on the line over the coming weeks? Share your thoughts and comments over on the GolfMagic social media channels.

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