Dunhill Links 2023 fireworks cancelled as field braced for bad weather - 'could be Armageddon again'

Saturday’s fireworks in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship will need to be provided by the golfers after the traditional pyrotechnic show in St Andrews was cancelled due to bad weather being forecast. “Could be Armageddon again,” declared Grant Forrest, referring to last year’s second circuit being played in some of the worst conditions for a professional event in Scotland for some time.

While an ‘Amber Warning’ for heavy rain has been issued for parts of the country, Angus and Fife could escape the worst of. “Chilly, wet and breezy” was the message relayed to a DP World Tour media staff member from the circuit’s full-time weatherman, who is also hoping that Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and St Andrews will miss the worst of the deluge.

“Just have to deal with what's in front of you on the day,” added Forrest, who sits handily-placed, one shot behind winning Ryder Cup team member and world No 8 Matthew Fitzpatrick, at the halfway stage in the $5 million event after following his opening 65 at Kingsbarns on Thursday with an equally-pleasing 67 at St Andrews.

The Scot is heading for Carnoustie for his third round. “I was there on the Friday last year, when it was so wet and windy,” he recalled. “But managed to come out okay. I’ve played in conditions like that before - not very often, thankfully - but having the experience that it’s a different kind of golf is definitely a help.”

Grant Forrest smiles after moving up the leaderboard in the second round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews. Picture: Octavio Passos/Getty Images.

Joining forces with his mum, Sue, for the second year running in the team event, Fitzpatrick moved ominously into pole position in the individual standings as he tacked a 64 - he finished birdie-birdie to come home in 31 after starting at the tenth - at Kingsbarns onto a first-day 67 at Carnoustie. With two rounds to come at St Andrews, the highest-ranked player in the field is heading into the weekend in a promising position. “Absolutely,” declared the 2022 US Open champion of enjoying his day, having also moved into second spot in the team event.

Forrest, who sits alongside Spaniard Nacho Elvira on 12-under-par, is chasing a third St Andrews success, having won the Links Trophy in 2014 as an amateur before landing s breakthrough win on the DP World Tour in the Hero Open at Fairmont St Andrews just over two years ago.

“Yeah, to win this week would be unbelievable,” admitted the 30-year-old being back on the glory trail in the home of golf, having catapulted himself up the leaderboard by signing for an eagle and five birdies in his second circuit on a day when the wind was pumping in the morning before dropping as the action wore on. “There’s a long way to go and it’s going to be a tough test tomorrow and then another day after that, but obviously that’s what you are trying to do every week.”

On another day, Forrest might have signed for three eagles as putts he thought were destined to drop at both the 18th and fifth both shaved the edge of the hole, as was the case with a par attempt after he’d found a nasty spot in the Road Hole bunker with his approach.

Matt Fitzpatrick walks with mum and playing partner Sue at Kingsbarns in the second round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Picture: Stephen Pond/Getty Images.

“It was under the back left lip and even trying to get it out backwards away from the hole wasn’t easy, so I just decided to try and get it forward,” he reported of the graveyard for many over the years, notably Tommy Nakajikma, who took five shots to get out in The Open in 1978. “I just opened the face as much as I could, leathered it and, luckily, it came out to 20-25 feet and another putt that I don’t know how is missed, though walking away with a 5 was alright.”

Forrest made his professional debut in this event in 2016 and tied for tenth 12 months ago, effectively securing his DP World Tour card for this season. “I was inside the cut-off mark,” he recalled, “but still had work to do then my finish here took a bit of pressure off. This time I’ve not got that pressure due to this year having been a lot better.”

It has indeed, as five top-ten finishes testify. “I’m sitting just outside the top 30 (in the Race to Dubai), so there’s an Open spot to play for,” he said in reply to being asked about his main goal for the remainder of the campaign, with ten PGA Tour cards being handed out after the final putt is holed in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in November.

“I still need a really good finish,” added Forrest of that potential reward, “but this is a big week and there are big points up for grabs in the last two events of the season as well. For most of us, that (playing on the PGA Tour) is the pinnacle as it’s the highest standard and I think the golf out there would suit me as well.”

English duo Marcus Armitage and Matthew Southgate sits two shots off the lead, with Kiwi Ryan Fox, who is one further back, lurking ominously as he bids to join Tyrrell Hatton in winning this title back-to-back and also land a second notable triumph in three starts following his brilliant BMW PGA Championship victory at Wentworth last month.

American Billy Horschel, who is enjoying forces with his wife, Brittany, in the team event, also sits on nine-under, one ahead of compatriot Peter Uihlein, who’d shared the overnight lead, and Nicolas Colsaerts, one of Luke Donald’s vice-captains in the Ryder Cup win in Rome. As for the two other playing members, Bob MacIntryre sits on three-under and Tommy Fleetwood is one further back after signing for 71 and 73 respectively at Kingsbarns.