For a second week in succession Paul Dunne has a recent amateur career high to draw on in his goal as a rookie professional to secure his European Tour card.
Last week at the Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland it was memories of his superb showing in sharing the lead after three rounds of the Open Championship.
This week at the British Masters, and the first time the event is back on the schedule since 2008, Dunne can draw upon his efforts in June by finishing the leading qualifier over 36-holes for The Open with rounds of 70 and 65 to be a three stroke winner.
Paul Dunne signing autographs after ending his first event as a pro T19th in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“I’ve been fortunate that my first two events now as a professional are on golf courses very familiar to me and it’s not something you would expect out here on Tour,” he said.
“It’s not always going to be like this but then I am only too happy to be able to take advantage.
“However the Marquess Course is playing a lot softer after a lot of recent rain compared to back in June so it’s going to be playing long but we’ll see how we go.”
Dunne earned Euro 47,536 from last week’s 19th place showing in Scotland and needs a bit less than Euro 200,000 over the course of this week and a similar invitation into next week’s Portugal Masters if he’s to be competing full time next year on the European Tour.
However the softly-spoken Greystones golfer can achieve his goal with a fourth place finish this week.
Five days ago Dunne played the last round at St. Andrews in the company of Gleneagles Ryder Cup winning hero Jamie Donaldson who’s also captured three Tour titles and earning over Euro 11m in prize-money.
And the Welshman was clearly impressed.
“Paul’s clearly got a good future and while he was a little hard on himself last Sunday he’s got the right mental attitude,” said Donaldson
“I look at him now at 22 years and compare myself at that age, and Paul’s a far better player than I was and overall he’s just a good sound player.”
And Padraig Harrington warmed-up for the event when he and amateur partner AP McCoy won the Pro-Am.
