Celeb spotting at the Alfred Dunhill

The 2015 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is underway across the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns Golf Links.

So if you’re trying to catch a glimpse of the likes of former World Footballer of the Year Andriy Shevchenko playing alongside Scot Stephen Gallacher, or five-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Steve Redgrave playing with Ross Fisher, then we’ve rounded up some of the most famous names in action, who they’re playing with, and where you’ll find them over the first three days.

With a prize fund of $5m, a whole host of top names are in action, including major champions Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Ernie Els, as well as the likes of Brooks Koepka, Lee Westwood, Shane Lowry and Luke Donald.

Brian O’Driscoll

The second most-capped player in rugby union history retired from the sport and 2014 and went on to make his maiden appearance at the Alfred Dunhill last year, where he made the cut alongside Oliver Fisher as the pair finished a very respectable T12. The Irishman is a member at no fewer than six clubs: Adare Manor, Carton House, K Club, Milltown, Mount Juliet and Royal Dublin.

Playing with: Gary Hurley
Thursday: St Andrews (1) – 9.33am
Friday: Carnoustie (1) – 11.01am
Saturday: Kingsbarns (10) – 10.17am

Kevin Pietersen

In exile from the England cricket team, the South African-born star has turned his attentions to golf in recent times, and regularly posts about the game on his Twitter account, where he has 2.79m followers. Will be making his debut at the tournament after featuring alongside Justin Rose at the BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am back in May.

Playing with: Eddie Pepperell
Thursday: St Andrews (1) – 11.01am
Friday: Carnoustie (1) – 9.55am
Saturday: Kingsbarns (10) – 9.33am

Sir Steve Redgrave

Has never missed an Alfred Dunhill Links Championship since it was first contested back in 2001. The five-time Olympic gold medallist made the cut for only the second time last year playing alongside Chris Wood – he previously made it with Peter Senior back in 2004, which was described before last year’s tournament as his most memorable moment.

Playing with: Ross Fisher
Thursday: St Andrews (1) – 9.22am
Friday: Carnoustie (1) – 11.01am
Saturday: Kingsbarns (10) – 10.06am

A.P. McCoy

After retiring as a jockey earlier this year after amassing a record 4,348 career wins, the Northern Irishman will be making his debut this year after appearances in the BMW PGA Championship and Irish Open Pro-Ams, where he played with Shane Lowry and Rickie Fowler respectively.

Playing with: Graeme McDowell
Thursday: Carnoustie (1) – 11.23am
Friday: Kingsbarns (10) – 10.17am
Saturday: St Andrews (1) – 9.55am

Michael Ballack

The former Bayern Munich and Chelsea star, who was capped 98 times by Germany, partnered fellow countryman Marcel Siem in his Alfred Dunhill debut last year as the pair finished just four shots outside the cut mark.

Playing with: Florian Fritsch
Thursday: St Andrews (1) – 9.55am
Friday: Carnoustie (1) – 9.00am
Saturday: Kingsbarns (10) – 10.39am

Sir Ian Botham

Like Redgrave, golf-mad Botham has never missed the Alfred Dunhill and, widely regarded as one of cricket’s greatest all-rounders, he says that making the top ten with Ian Woosnam back in 2004 was one of his finest golfing achievements. And he means business, saying: “I’m not just there to walk round a golf course and look at the wildlife.”

Playing with: Richard Finch
Thursday: St Andrews (1) – 10.39am
Friday: Carnoustie (1) – 9.44am
Saturday: Kingsbarns (10) – 9.00am

Johan Cruyff

Three-time European Footballer of the Year Cruyff has played in the Alfred Dunhill regularly since 2001 and will be hoping to improve on his performance last year where, playing alongside Daan Huizing, the pair finished fourth last on two-over-par out of the 168 teams.

Playing with: Alejandro Canizares
Thursday: St Andrews (1) – 10.06am
Friday: Carnoustie (1) – 9.11am
Saturday: Kingsbarns (10) – 10.50am

Shane Warne

The best leg-spin bowler of all-time will be making his ninth appearance at the Alfred Dunhill next week. A member of Capital Golf Club near Melbourne, he says his greatest golfing achievement was shooting two-under-par on the Old Course in 2013.

Playing with: Wade Ormsby
Thursday: St Andrews (1) – 10.28am
Friday: Carnoustie (1) – 9.33am
Saturday: Kingsbarns (10) – 9.00am

Ruud Gullit

Another former European Footballer of the Year, Gullit is now an authoritative TV football analyst. A member of De Houtrak, near Amsterdam, this will be his 12th appearance and says his best golfing moment was the year he made the cut, although he also recalls a shank on the 18th at the Old Course with the TV cameras watching.

Playing with: Andrew Johnston
Thursday: St Andrews (1) – 9.44am
Friday: Carnoustie (1) – 11.23am
Saturday: Kingsbarns (10) – 10.28am

Andriy Shevchenko

Another former World Footballer of the Year, Shevchenko made his professional golf debut in September 2013 at the Kharkov Superior Cup, where he shot rounds of 84 and 86 to finish on 26-over-par. Will be making his debut at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and the left-hander will be hoping for a few tips from his playing partner…

Playing with: Stephen Gallacher
Thursday: St Andrews (1) – 10.17am
Friday: Carnoustie (1) – 9.22am
Saturday: Kingsbarns (10) – 10.50am

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship :: Admission

Admission to the first three days of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is FREE, while final day tickets are priced at £20 (£15 Seniors). For more information, visit http://bit.ly/1RvYset