On a day when Matt Fitzpatrick began his quest for a fifth win of the year, Robert Mac Intyre reacted furiously to a drone and Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter made a DP World Tour return after an absence of almost four years, it was a player from outside the world's top 900 that stole the show at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Scotland's Michael Stewart, ranked 979, shot 65 to sit at seven under after outscoring a big-name field to share the lead at the end of round one.\n\nStewart, 36, has played only five events on the main European circuit - the last in 2023 - and teed off less than 24 hours after finishing second in the Tartan Tour's Duddingston Classic having received a sponsor's invite this week. However, after making a solitary birdie on the front nine, an eagle on the par-five 12th proved to be the catalyst for him the play the next five holes in six under after the turn. "It's easy to get yourself up for this event.
I played Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday [at Duddingston], straight here. I've played here a lot in the past and just delighted to be part of the event."\n\nSouth Africa's MJ Daffue and Casey Jarvis are a stroke off the lead on the professional leaderboard, while Fitzpatrick, who was victorious at the French Open last week, signed for a four-under 68 to sit three shots adrift. Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka was three under after a 69 at Carnoustie, a shot better off than Tommy Fleetwood, while defending champion Mac Intyre was one under at the same course.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing