Anywhere else but on a golf course, Ruud Gullit and Shiv 'Chiv' Kapur would have formed an odd couple. But going by their comments, this Indo-Dutch joint-venture seems to be having quite a tee party at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championships in Scotland. Europe's answer to the glitzy Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the tournament is played over three famous courses- St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie near Dundee. The teams, each comprising an amateur and a pro, play on each course in rotation, with the top 20 playing the final round over the Old Course at St Andrews on Sunday.

Kapur described playing with Gullit, the former Holland football captain, as a “fun day.”

Uploading a photo of him and Kapur, Gullit tweeted early on Saturday: "With my player partner Chiv Kapur and his partner. He is a grat companion and a great player. Come on, Chiv (sic).”

Going into the competition, Gullit had said: “I am playing with Shiv Kapur of India, so am looking forward to that.”

“I didn't play very well, but I still made some points. In the practice rounds everything went well but not today. My partner [Shiv Kapur] was struggling sometimes with his putts. He was defending a lot, but he did well….”

Besides Gullit, some of the amateurs in the fray this year are Shane Warne, Michael Phelps, Steve Waugh, Sir Steve Redgrave, Brian Lara, Johan Cruyff and father and son Ian and Liam Botham.