Disappointed Dunne Promising To Regain His British Masters Winning Form In Malaysia.

Dunne struggled with his game on a rain-affected Glenmarie Country Club course with he and Swedish partner, Alen Noren among three shock losses on day one of the biennial event.

Thomas Bjorn’s much fancied side lost the first round 2 ½ to 3 ½ points and with Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood combining superbly with three birdies each to win the opening match 4 & 3.

The second all-England duo of Ross Fisher and Tyrrell Hatton won the last match of the day 5 & 4.

Embarrassingly, former Open champ Henrik Stenson and Frenchman Alex Levy were also handed a 5 & 4 spanking.

The Dunne and Noren pairing were never in front in their match against Japan’s Hideto Tanihara and Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai.

They lost the fifth and got back to all-square with a Dunne birdie at the seventh before Tanihara and the Thai rookie went 3-up with birdies at the eighth, 10th and 13th holes.

Paul Dunne shows his pleasure in managing a birdie at the 5th hole on day one of the 2018 EurAsia Cup in Malaysia. (Photo – European Tour/Getty)

Noren won 14 and 15 with birdies but a Tanihara birdie down the last sealed a 2 hole victory.

Dunne walked from the course very disappointed and with the Greystone’s golfer promisingn more over the closing two days.

“I didn’t feel nervous on the first tee given I have played in many team events before this week and I was excited just to get going but just disappointed I didn’t contribute as much as I should have,” he said.

“We got beaten down the last hole but then we still have plenty to play for and I am sure we can improve.

“Alex played really nicely and it was just that I didn’t really contribute but then while I am a rookie in the team and there are other rookies, we are all very experienced.

“I know I have a lot more to give and hopefully over the weekend I can do my part in helping Europe turn the result around.

“I was very positive out there and hit a lot of good shots but it is all about getting the job done out there and I guess if you don’t win there is not many positives you can take out of the day.

“The positive thing it is only day one and hopefully we have strong day two and day three and win this thing.”

Euro Captain Thomas Bjorn is looking to retain the trophy won emphatically two years ago by a Darren Clarke led side and while the Dane would seem to have his work cut out, Dunne has full confidence in Bjorn.

“Thomas is very experienced and we just have to trust him as captain and that we should be doing the right things that he’s asked us to do.

“We have lots of faith in him and we are all behind him and hopefully from a personal viewpoint I can play well over the next two days and the next nine months and win the EurAsia Cup and also the Ryder Cup.

“The golf course was very wet from all the rain but that is the what you expect competing in the part of the world while the greens are very grainy and good shape but then if you don’t hit the fairways you can be struggling.”

Dunne and Noren will again face Tanihara and Khongwatmai in the Saturday morning Foursomes (local time Malaysia).

 



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