Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Each-Way Tips: Alex Fitzpatrick chasing family double at 70/1

• Alex Fitzpatrick can add to his family's Dunhill story

• England's Daniel Brown has enjoyed the linksland in 2024

• Championship expert Joakim Lagergren is a two-time winner this year

The idea that golf needs the "best playing the best more often" has taken grip in the board rooms.

Once just a fuzzy notion, at the LIV Golf launch press conference executives claimed that their research indicated that it was what fans wanted. But when asked what this research actually amounted to they mumbled and muttered explanations that made parents efforts to convince ever-more-sceptical children that Father Christmas really does exist seem like Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time.

Like mum and dad, they were probably just making it up.

LIV, of course, has failed to entice enough of the best to test its dream scenario, but the PGA Tour has taken up the mantra, created Signature events and the results have been predictably dull.

The RBC Heritage at Harbour Town was once a fun event on a fun track and, because it takes place a week after the Masters, it was something of an after-party. The golfers who played there wanted to be there.

Now the vibe is more family get-together at Uncle Horace and Auntie Hilda's. It's a duty rather than a joy. The best of the best are like teenagers who'd rather be elsewhere.

There's a punting angle to this. Harbour Town suits a certain type of golfer and many of them no longer have the opportunity to tee it up there. They have to kick their heels while players who don't want to be there take it on. A needless mess.

Well played, golf executives of the world, well played.

It's not to say that the sport can't be improved but the last month of DP World Tour action has provided what golf's natural growth has produced very well: the golf course is integral to the week; the tournament heritage is, too; the field needs quality but depth of quality should be a rare treat; the field should also be big enough to allow for good, and crucially, varied stories.

It kicked off with the dramatic Alpine backdrop of Crans, bold bids from Andrew Johnston and Alfredo Garcia Heredia, and the determined triumph of Matt Wallace. We knew what victory meant for this trio.

Then Royal County Down provided a great stage for the Irish Open where the field was good. Good enough to deny the home hero Rory McIlroy, in fact. It didn't need the world's top 10 to add lustre. Sometimes less is more.

Wentworth provided the showpiece and then the Open de Espana reminded us that Angel Hidalgo's David, slinging a few well-aimed stones the way of Jon Rahm's Goliath, can be a lot more thrilling than Goliath versus Goliath.

And now to the annual celebration of seaside golf that is the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. If variety is what works, this event provides it. Woolly hats and waterproofs at the ready.

Main Bet: Alex Fitzpatrick 1pt each-way @ 70/171.00

Last year's column got the name of the winner right, but picked the wrong brother.

While Matt won the championship (and the pro-am with mum), Alex closed with a 66 but it was too little, too late.

We'll stick with him, though, because like his debut (when he was 28th after sitting 146th on Thursday evening) it showed promise.

He was 17th in the 2023 Open at Royal Liverpool which reiterated that he can play links golf - and in poor weather, too.

It's also only three starts since he was ninth in the Irish Open at Royal County Down (which itself was a fourth top 12 finish in a row).

There will be good Fitzpatrick vibes this week and Alex can benefit from them.

Next Best: Daniel Brown 1pt each-way @ 80/181.00

There's a fear that the horse has bolted with the Englishman Daniel Brown but it's also the case that, based on his links performances this season, he is being under-estimated this week.

He kicked it off with third place at Heritage La Reserve in Mauritius last December and while that's not an obvious linksland location the course, designed by Louis Oosthuizen, was not a bad replica given the raw materials.

In March Brown was playing St Francis Links in South Africa which again was more pastiche that genuine links but he was fourth (when a column selection).

His form slumped in early summer before he rebounded with a bright start at the Scottish Open and a remarkable week at Royal Troon when he finished tenth after spending most of the week in the top two.

He was also fourth at Royal County Down last month.

He made his debut in this championship last year and made a nice start with a 66 for tenth.

Final Bet: Joakim Lagergren 1pt each-way @ 125/1126.00

Imagine a world where golf was only played at Galgorm Castle in Northern Ireland and at the trio of courses that host this event.

On the one hand, it would be pretty boring.

But Sweden's Joakim Lagergren might not care.

He won at Galgorm on the second tier in 2014, was fifth there in the 2020 Irish Open, and second there back on the Challenge Tour earlier this year.

In this event, he opened his account with back-to-back fourths in 2015 and 2016, was 12th in 2017, third in 2019 and second in 2021. All that from just seven visits.

The return to Galgorm revitalised his season and he not only won a week later, he also added a second victory three weeks after that.

That form and the championship record are tempting for a man who likes to wrap himself up in a hat and scarf.

Now read Steve Rawlings on the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

Having difficulty working out the place returns? Fret no more - you can easily work out your returns with our new each way calculator.