One of the perks of being involved with student media is that you are exposed to an array of events, activities, and people. Sometimes I find myself in situations and have no idea how I have convinced people that I am important enough to be there. Most recently, I have been covering the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2015. For a select group of golf fans this is an incredibly huge opportunity in which I am immersed in a world of some of the greatest golfers. For the majority, this means that I have been granted a press pass and the chance to find/seduce Jamie Dornan.
The first day of the competition started off strong. We woke up bright and early and were rewarded with a beautiful Dornan approaching us. I promised not to eat up too much of his time, and in turn, he answered a few questions. I decided against my two leading questions: What’s your favorite shade of grey, and are you interested in leaving your wife for me? Instead, I asked him the more boring questions regarding the competition. He assured me that though he has not been practicing much, he feels incredibly lucky to be back for a second consecutive year. He graced us with his presence on our Old Course, giving its beauty a run for its money.
Next, Sir Steve Redgrave chatted with us. He mentioned how special St Andrews is and the uniqueness of the competition in that athletes have the opportunity to compete with some of the best sportsmen in the world. He explains that nobody else could do that with him whilst he rowed, which makes this competition so distinct.
Michael Ballack was both extremely handsome and well-spoken. He loves that he has the chance to play with professionals in a proper tournament. Though he trains when he can, he just wants to relax and enjoy the competition. Similarly, Del Piero wants to enjoy himself. While he is confident in his sport, he mentions that there may be a few nerves when approaching golf.
Hugh Grant gave us a brief moment after attempting to walk past me. He was invited back for another year but thinks his game will be a bit rubbish as he has been taking up tennis instead of golf. His favorite thing about St Andrews is the beach.
Today I woke up, having only slept for three hours, and was rejected by many pro-golfers, which is understandable considering they are a bit busy, I don’t know, playing golf. However, Matthew Goode brushed past me saying that he was too late for his tee time. I am slightly bitter but mainly heartbroken. Being a journalist I have discovered that the rejection is constant, which is difficult to bounce back from. Nevertheless, as the two wonderful ladies that have been helping me out keep reminding me, they are here to compete… and there’s hope for me tomorrow.
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