Johann Rupert defends decision to call off this year's Dunhill Links

South African entrepreneur Johann Rupert is the driving force behind the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, which will not be taking place this year. Picture: Kenny Smith/SNS

Johann Rupert, the driving force behind the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, has backed the decision to call off this year's $5 million tournament in Scotland.

The call has been made by the championship committee in conjunction with the European Tour due to its scale and the complexities of the pro-am format at three venues - Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and St Andrews - making it difficult to deliver under current Covid-19 restrictions.

It will be the first time there has not been an event at St Andrews in the autumn under the Dunhill banner for 35 years.

The Dunhill Cup, a popular team tournament, was established at the Old Course in 1985 and ran until 2000, when it was replaced by the pro-am event.

Rupert, the chairman and chief executive of Richemont, Dunhill's parent company, will be among those missing out on what is normally one of the highlights of the European Tour season, both on and off the course.

But, responding on social media to The Scotsman breaking the news about the imminent cancellation, he said it was the right decision in the current climate.

"The Scottish Government is doing an exemplary job at combating the spread of the virus - I feel safe playing golf in Scotland," wrote Rupert, an R&A member, in a post on Twitter.

"We therefore do not want to take the risk of one of our 300+ participants inadvertently bringing the Covid-19 virus back to St Andrews."

It is understood that European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley is looking to fill the slot immediately before the rescheduled Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club with another event.

That could either be a tournament that was postponed earlier in the year or a new event.

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