The European Tour heads to Scotland this week, skysports.com picks six players to watch at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Watch all four rounds of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Sky Sports - live coverage starts on Thursday at 1.30pm on SS1 and HD1
The chase to top the Race to Dubai standings heads to Scotland where the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship takes centre stage.
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In recent seasons this lucrative and prestigious event has played a huge role in ultimately deciding the destiny of the Order of Merit crown.
Three of the last four winners of the Links pro-am have gone on to end the season as European No 1.
And with less than two months remaining of this year's European Tour season, this week's tournament on Scotland's east coast could well influence the final outcome once again.
As ever, the Old Course at St Andrews hosts the event, with Carnoustie and Kingsbarns also playing a part over the opening three rounds.
So who's in the frame?
Ernie Els: Has a superb Links Championship record despite never winning the title. Twice a runner-up, the South African has had five top-10 finishes in seven visits.
Soren Hansen: The in-form Dane has tied-eighth in his last two appearances in the event.
Padraig Harrington: Is the only player to have won this title on more than one occasion - 2002 and 2006. The Irishman is also currently enjoying his best from of the season - his last seven starts have all yielded top-10 finishes.
Paul Lawrie: The 1999 Open Champion, and first-ever winner of this event eight years ago, has shown some improved form in recent weeks under the guidance of Bob Torrance.
Rory McIlroy: The young Ulsterman usually performs well on British links courses. He was third on his Dunhill debut two years ago.
Lee Westwood: Winner in 2003, Westwood's last six trips to the Championship has produced five top-10 finishes. The remarkably consistent Englishman is without a victory in over two years but is well-placed to top this year's Race to Dubai standings.
