17 Big Names Skip 2026 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
By Staff Writer
4 min read
Key takeaways
- Rory McIlroy is skipping the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship for a second straight year.
- Jon Rahm and Shane Lowry are both heading to the Open de Espana instead, their home national open.
- Patrick Reed withdrew from last week's BMW PGA Championship with a wrist injury and won't play in Scotland.
- Marco Penge, Tony Finau and Harry Hall are skipping the event to play the Bank of Utah Championship and protect PGA Tour playing rights.
- Seventeen notable players in total are absent from the 25th edition of the tournament.
The 25th Alfred Dunhill Links Championship gets underway this week across St Andrews' Old Course, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, with Brooks Koepka, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick and Justin Rose headlining the field, alongside several LIV Golf players making the trip. Seventeen notable players, however, are missing from the pro-am event, held annually on the DP World Tour calendar and known for pairing professionals with celebrities and amateurs across the three courses.
Why is Rory McIlroy skipping the tournament again?
McIlroy, a three-time runner-up at the event who won its team portion alongside his father Gerry in 2019, is sitting out for a second consecutive year. He returned to the DP World Tour with a T41 at the Amgen Irish Open before finishing runner-up at the BMW PGA Championship, two shots behind winner JJ Spaun, but is not entered in Scotland this week.
Why are Rahm and Lowry both absent?
Jon Rahm, who last played the event in 2024, struggled to rounds of 78 and 77 at the BMW PGA Championship and finished bottom of the field. He is instead playing his home national open, the Open de Espana, next week; he and his wife Kelley are also expecting their fourth child around that time. Shane Lowry, who has not played the Dunhill Links since 2024 and owns a best finish of T3 there in 2013, is likewise skipping it to play the Open de Espana after winning the Amgen Irish Open by 11 shots and following up with a T21 at Wentworth.
What happened to Patrick Reed?
Reed opened the BMW PGA Championship four-under-par but withdrew midway through his second round after striking a tree root and injuring his left wrist. The injury also cost him his positioning in the Race to Dubai standings once McIlroy's runner-up finish overtook him. Reed, who played the Dunhill Links the previous two seasons, is projected to play the Open de Espana instead.
Why are some players choosing the Bank of Utah Championship?
Marco Penge, Tony Finau and Harry Hall are all skipping Scotland for the PGA Tour's Bank of Utah Championship as they fight to secure full 2027 PGA Tour playing rights through the FedExCup Fall standings. Penge sits 105th after a T10 at the Biltmore Championship, with the top 100 retaining full privileges. Finau is 100th in the FedExCup Fall after finishing 98th in the regular-season standings. Hall, currently 56th, could lock in Signature Event starts at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational with a top-60 finish.
Three players are skipping the Home of Golf this week to fight for PGA Tour cards in Utah instead.
What about Ryan Fox and Dustin Johnson?
Ryan Fox, the 2022 champion, won that title by a single shot over Alex Noren and Callum Shinkwin, eight months after the death of his close friend Shane Warne. He followed it with a runner-up finish the next year but has now missed the event three years running, including 2026, after playing in last week's Presidents Cup, where the International team lost for an 11th straight time. Dustin Johnson made his Dunhill Links debut last year on invitation and finished T71. He hasn't played since LIV Golf's season finale in Indianapolis, where he finished T39, and LIV's own future is unsettled after the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia pulled its funding and new investors joined the league.
Who else is missing from the field?
| Player | Reason for absence |
|---|---|
| Kristoffer Reitan | Taking a break after wins on the DP World and PGA Tours this season |
| Louis Oosthuizen | Managing an injury-hit season |
| Nicolai Hojgaard | Missed the cut in his last three starts, playing Open de Espana next week |
| Eugenio Chacarra | Resting before his home open, the Open de Espana, next week |
| Thomas Pieters | LIV Golf player with an uncertain playing future |
| Martin Kaymer | 2010 champion; LIV Golf player with an uncertain playing future |
| Rasmus Hojgaard | Playing the PGA Tour Fall to protect his card status |
| Tom McKibbin | Playing Open de Espana with Legion XIII GC teammates Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton |
Frequently asked questions
Who are the highest-profile players missing the 2026 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship?
Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Shane Lowry, Patrick Reed and Dustin Johnson are among the most notable absentees.
Where is the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship played?
The tournament is played across St Andrews' Old Course, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, with the final round held at the Old Course.
Why are some players skipping Scotland for the Bank of Utah Championship?
Marco Penge, Tony Finau and Harry Hall are competing in Utah to protect their standing in the FedExCup Fall for 2027 PGA Tour playing rights.
Is Jon Rahm expected back on the DP World Tour soon?
Rahm is playing the Open de Espana next week, his home national open, around the time he and his wife are expecting their fourth child.
- Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
- Rory McIlroy
- Jon Rahm
- Shane Lowry
- Patrick Reed
- DP World Tour
- Bank of Utah Championship
- St Andrews Old Course
