Sept 28 (Reuters) – ‘Blade runner’ Oscar Pistorius, who has an 18-handicap, will play alongside several of the world’s best golfers at next week’s Dunhill Links pro-am event in Scotland.
Last month the South African became the first double amputee to feature in an Olympic Games and he also won two gold medals and a silver in the London Paralympics that followed.
“It’s a real treat to play in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship,” Pistorius said in a news release on Friday. “I am a big golf fan and love the game.
“I have never played St Andrews, Carnoustie or Kingsbarns before so playing them in a world-class event is a unique opportunity. There is so much history at St Andrews, every golfer longs to play there.”
The $5 million Dunhill tournament is played on three different layouts over the first three days before the Old Course at St Andrews stages the final round on Sunday, Oct. 2.
Ten major championship winners will feature in the European Tour event including Pistorius’s compatriots Ernie Els, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.
“It will be lots of fun to be playing in a tournament with other great names of the sport from my country,” said Pistorius. “I can’t wait to get on the first tee.”
The highest-ranked professional in the field will be world number four Lee Westwood.
Among the amateurs taking part are Hollywood film actor Greg Kinnear, musician Huey Lewis, Olympic rowing champions Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent and Dutch soccer greats Johan Cruyff and Ruud Gullit.
Former cricketers Shane Warne, Ian Botham, Steve Waugh and Andrew Strauss are also scheduled to compete. (Writing by Tony Jimenez; editing by Tom Pilcher)
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