From Tartan Pro Tour to mastering Carnoustie: Michael Stewart's remarkable 24 hours

Scotland's Michael Stewart may just have one of the most remarkable opening round stories at this year's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

After finishing second at the Tartan Pro Tour event on Wednesday in Duddingston, the Scot travelled to the Alfred Dunhill Links and posted a 65 at Carnoustie to hold a share of the first round lead.

The 36-year-old, who plays on the Tartan Tour full time, opted not to play a practice round after recieving a tournament invitation on Monday, but he had a very good reason.

Already a two-time winner this season on the Tartan Pro Tour, a third victory would secure automatic promotion back to the HotelPlanner Tour, which he played on as recently as 2024 before struggling with his back.

With the Duddingston Classic roughly an hour and a half away from St Andrews, the 2011 Walker Cup player led after two rounds, before ultimately finishing second.

With courses he knows well, Stewart said he had no issue feeling ready for his tee time at Carnoustie on Thursday morning,

"It's easy to get yourself up for this event, isn't it," he said afterwards.

"It was fine. I played Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, straight here and courses I know well anyway. Played here a lot in the past and just delighted to be part of the event.

"I feel home at links golf. I grew up on a links course. The conditions are a little bit better here than the last few years, which has been nice. I don't mind the wind. As long as the rain stays away, we're good to go."

After finishing the tournament around three in the afternoon, Stewart explained that he had to have fellow Scot David Law pick up everything he needed.

"Obviously I didn't have any accreditation or nothing for the event so I drove from Duddingston, got to St Andrews at half five. David Law had arranged my yardage books, my accreditation, parking pass, all that.

"So we met him first, he dropped my stuff off and then got to my uncle's in Cupar last night at like seven."

Stewart, who enjoyed an successful amateur career that included a runner-up finish at the Amateur Championship, victory at the 2010 Scottish Amateur, and runner-up in the 2011 Links Trophy, showed his love for links golf on Thursday with a bogey-free 65.

He began his round with back-to-back pars before a birdie at the third, but it wasn't until the back-nine where he began an impressive run that started with an eagle at the par-five 12th.

Four birdies in a row followed to move the World Number 979 to seven under par, parring his way in to set the clubhouse target before being joined by Jack Buchanan.

"I played nice all day to be honest. Lots of fairways, lots of greens and then on the back, putter got hot.

"Today the putter was really good again which was nice. It's been not been behaving as well as it usually has the last sort of couple of events. Again, the long game was good today and it was nice to see some putts go in on the back nine.

"You know, the front nine is sort of tricky into that wind and our playing the majority of the holes into the wind. You turn and you get to 10, sort of coming in, you know there's going to be a lot more chances. And I just managed to put myself in good spots and managed to hole some putts."