2025 Alfred Dunhill Links: John Paterson's DP World Tour debut begins as locals enjoy mixed fortunes

Exclusive report on the St Andrews Locals playing in the 2025 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

St Andrews' John Paterson opened his maiden Alfred Dunhill Links Championship with a frustrating round of 75 to sit in a tie for 163rd place, but it felt like this was the worst score the 25-year-old could possibly shoot.

Teeing off on the 10th hole Paterson hit a fantastic drive into the throat of the approach to the green, and two-putted through the valley to make an opening birdie. It was the perfect start to his week, a nerve-settling 3. That's if he had any nerves, John looked like he had the confidence of having played the Old Course many times, in all conditions.

He followed this up with a tremendous tee shot on the par-three 11th hole to give himself 10 feet down the hill for birdie, the second birdie chance in two holes on a day when he would have looks at birdie on 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6.

The putt narrowly slid by, but it was a solid start to his round.

He pulled his drive on the 12th into deep trouble, but got lucky and found a thin sliver of rough surrounded by the gorse, from there he played a quite sublime recovery, masterfully controlling the ball from such a difficult position. At this point both his dad, Steven, and I have to admit I was getting a little bit excited at the prospect of him making a second birdie in the first three holes. But unfortunately his putter was stone cold and missed the birdie chance again.

On the tricky 13th hole he drove his ball down into the neck of the fairway and set up another birdie opportunity, but he could not convert, and from being in with a realistic chance of shooting 4-under-par through the first four holes, he was set to stumble.

On 14 he found a bunker with his second shot, and took 4 more to get down, making a bogey on a hole which is well within his capabilities of making birdie. At the 15th he pulled his approach to the left edge of the green and could not get up and down, and on the 16th he drove into the Deacon Sime bunker, costing him a third consecutive bogey.

By time we reached the 17th tee the rain had arrived and the conditions were as grim as the last three holes, again he drove down the left and his approach came up short and he couldn't rescue the par from a difficult position.

On the 18th hole he hit a drive to within 61 yards of the pin, but his approached lacked aggression in receptive conditions, and he left himself an 11 foot putt for birdie, which he missed.

The frustration was palpable, particularly given the start he had made, and despite making a birdie on the 2nd hole, he couldn't convert any of the other four birdie chances he had, and made a sloppy bogey on the 3rd, chunking his second shot and coming up some 38 yards short of the pin.

All is not lost though, if the conditions remain as they were tomorrow then he isn't playing the Carnoustie of an Open Championship, the renowned toughest test on the Open rota is a gentle puppy during the Dunhill, and he will for sure have many birdie opportunities on Friday.

In the Team Competition, John and his partner, R&A CEO Mark Darbon are 6-under-par and in a tie for 115th place.

Kingsbarns Golf Links' Daniel Young opened with a round of 65 on the Old Course, making 5 birdies and an eagle in a bogey-free round. The 34-year-old sits in a tie for 7th place, 2 shots off the lead, which is held by Ryan Brehm, Darius Van Driel and Matthew Jordan, each shot 63, 9-under-par.

The 2025 KLM Open Champion Connor Syme begun with a round of 69 at Carnoustie, which included 4 birdies and 1 bogey, on a day of low-scoring at the Angus links.

The local story continues on Friday across SHANK at Carnoustie, following the progress of Daniel Young and John Paterson, as well as covering overnight leader Matthew Jordan and a whole host of celebrities.

Daniel tees off at 09.22 on the 10th tee, and John gets going at 10.28, also on the 10th hole known as 'South America'. Connor will be playing at Kingsbarns, and he tees off at 10.39 on the 1st hole.

SHANK, written by Matt Hooper