Paul Dunne is not about to left short-changed playing ‘credit card roulette’ this week as the young Irish pro banks on cementing full 2017 Tour membership at this week’s Portugal Masters.
Dunne first needs to make the cut on the host Oceanico Victoria course and then finish far better than last year’s near-cellar dwelling 64th place if he’s to be playing a full season in the New Year.
He dropped three spots to 102nd on the Race to Dubai in not contesting last week’s British Masters and with the top-110 at the end of this week retaining full Tour membership.
In fact, Dunne’s just Euro 14, 716 clear of the 110th ranked Craig Lee of Scotland and with every player ranked from 103rd to 120th competing in Portugal, and looking to do exactly as Dunne is hoping.
Dunne had made his debut in the Portugal event a year ago but found himself on the wrong end of what turned out to be part of his initiation into the pro ranks.
The then unsuspecting Greystones golfer had joined the likes of Padraig Harrington, Peter Lawrie, Damien McGrane along with their respective caddies at a Vilamoura restaurant.
“For starters, I can tell I am not very good at credit card roulette as I’ve now lost four times,” said Dunne smiling.
“The Portugal Masters was my third European Tour invitation and with Padraig, Damien, Peter along with our caddies and few others going out for dinner around the port area at Vilamoura.
“So I got stung there but then I don’t mind as long as I can continue to make a living on the golf course as they’re great company and they’ve been great help to me in any event I am playing.
”Anyway, I am sure we will all go out again this time around, so hopefully it’s not my card again getting pulled out.”
But while he lost out over dinner, Dunne already has some luck on his side well ahead of tee-off on Thursday.
After finishing T25th in last fortnight’s Alfred Dunhill Links, he was 13 spots shy of breaking into the Portugal Masters field.
But with many dropping out, Dunne was assured last Friday of heading to The Algarve, and so much so last night (MON) he was 14 spots inside the cut-off mark for entries.
