Scotland’s Michael Stewart and Australia’s Jack Buchanan are the surprise joint leaders after the opening round of the 2026 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Both players carded seven-under-par 65s on Thursday to sit at the top of the leaderboard at the prestigious DP World Tour event, which is being played across three of Scotland’s famous links courses — St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.
Stewart produced an impressive round at Carnoustie, finishing without a bogey. The 36-year-old Scot made five birdies and an eagle to reach seven under par.
His performance was particularly notable because Stewart had been competing on the Tartan Pro Tour earlier in the week. He had finished runner-up in a tournament on Wednesday before travelling to compete at the Dunhill Links Championship.
Stewart, who entered the tournament through a sponsor’s invitation, said he was pleased with how his putting and long game worked during the opening round.
Buchanan matched Stewart’s score with his own 65 at Kingsbarns. The Australian made a strong start, recording four birdies in his opening six holes before adding three more birdies later in his round.
The two leaders are both making their debuts in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Their performances have put them ahead of several more established names in the field. Matt Fitzpatrick, who won the Open de France last week, is among the players close to the leaders after opening with a four-under-par 68. Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka also made a solid start and remains within striking distance.
The defending champion, Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, had a more difficult opening round and finished well behind the early leaders.
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is one of the DP World Tour’s most distinctive events because it combines professional golf with a team competition involving professionals and amateurs. The professional tournament is played across the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.
The second round begins on Friday, with Stewart and Buchanan looking to maintain their position at the top of the leaderboard.
The tournament runs from October 1 to October 4, 2026, with the final round scheduled for Sunday at the Old Course at St Andrews.
For Stewart in particular, the opening round represents a major opportunity. After starting the week outside the world’s top 900, his seven-under-par performance has put him alongside Buchanan at the head of a field containing major champions and some of the DP World Tour’s established players.
With three more rounds still to play, the leaderboard is expected to change significantly, but Stewart and Buchanan have already provided one of the biggest surprises of the tournament.
