Ireland’s rookie professional Paul Dunne was heading straight to the British Masters where he will look to draw upon his winning Woburn ways.
Some three months ago Dunne finished the leading Open Championship qualifier posting rounds of 70 and a sizzling 65 to win by three shots and thus earn a place in the 144th Open where he would go onto to share the lead with a round to play.
And the 22-year will need a good showing around the Marquis Course in the second of three straight invitations he’s been afforded to compete on the European Tour.
Dunne picked up the first cheque of his new career – Euro 47,536 – in sharing 19th place finish in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Paul Dunne signing autographs after ending his first event as a pro T19th in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
He posted a final round 70 to end the Scottish event tied with seven others including fellow Irish Graeme McDowell (70) and Shane Lowry (67) on 12-under par.
Thorbjorn Olesen became the first Danish winner of the event signing for a 71 to win by two strokes with an 18-under par tally.
The American duo of Brooks Koepka (67) and Chris Stroud (68) were second on 16-under par.
Dunne’s final round included three birdies at the third, fifth and 10th holes ahead of his only bogey at the infamous ‘Road Hole’ 17th.
“I was happy with the way I played but then disappointed to drop a shot on 17 as I was trying so hard to keep any bogeys off my card,” he said.
The golf world will be seeing more of this bag – Paul Dunne proudly showing his Irish colours. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“So looking back on my first Tour event I’ve had a pretty good week considering how badly I’ve played aside that first round 64 when I just putted so well but the next two rounds I putted below average and just managed to shoot a half-decent scores.”
The Greystones golfer earned a prize cheque for Euro 47,536 to go straight in at 201st on the Race to Dubai and T44th with Lowry on the Ryder Cup points table while Dunne’s first pro-career World Ranking of No. 942 should improve to around No. 700.
Dunne now needs to earn roughly a further Euro 200,000 over the course of this week’s British Masters and the following week’s Portugal Masters, and final invitation in hand, if he’s to secure his 2016 Tour card.
“It’s been a strange week, a long week after also playing three 18-hole practice rounds so it’s been a lot of golf,” he said.
“And while the prize money is great I need a sizeable sum if I am to earn my Tour card over the next few weeks. I’m confident I can get my card but then it’s another matter if I do it in a couple of weeks, a couple of months or a couple of years.
Paul Dunne’s distinct wedges. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“We’ll just have to wait and see.”
Despite Dunne’s disappointment he returns to Wobun with fond memories of just over three months ago when he earned an Open Championship tee time in shooting scores of 70 and 65 to finish the leading qualifier by three shots.
Lowry clearly shrugged off a poor first round 74 at Carnoustie with subsequent rounds of 69, 66 and a bogey free closing 67.
“When I saw the draw I wasn’t too happy starting at Carnoustie as it was my first round in six weeks but then I knuckled down and played nicely the next three days,” he said.
“I thought I could have shot a lot better today and maybe finished top-10 but then I am back the form I was showing before my break and that’s a very positive sign.”
McDowell joins Dunne and Lowry heading to Woburn but after a poor finish to his Dunhill campaign in bogeying three of his last four holes including sending a simple wedge at the last into the ‘Valley of Sin’.
McDowell had been five under par for the round through nine holes and on target for his best finish of the season.
It was a case of Danish delight at the Home of Golf for Thorbjørn Olesen who held his nerve to win the 15th Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and also claim his third European Tour career title.
The Dane came second at this event in 2012 and went one better on Sunday, posting a one under par 71 to finish the week on 18 under par, two shots clear of American duo Brooks Koepka and Chris Stroud.
Englishman Chris Wood closed with a bogey free 65 to finish a shot further back alongside Benjamin Hebert, Bernd Wiesberger, Joakim Lagergren and Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
Olesen began his final round with a three shot lead over the chasing pack, but followed a birdie from eight feet on the first with a double bogey on the second and a bogey at the next to surrender the outright lead.
Tjorborn Olesen (DEN) wins the 2015 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at the Old Course in St. Andrews in Scotland on 4/10/15.
Picture: Thos Caffrey | Golffile
He bounced back in style, picking up shots at the fourth and fifth holes to return to the top of the leaderboard.
After safely parring the next nine holes, Olesen extended his advantage to two strokes with a brilliant birdie from 50 feet at the 15th.
And Olesen parred his way home to win his first tournament since last year’s ISPS HANDA Perth International.
Olesen, who spent three months on the sidelines following hand surgery earlier this year, was delighted to win at St Andrews.
He said: “It feels unbelievable. It’s been a very tough year and standing here with this trophy is unbelievable, on these three golf courses and finishing off especially on St Andrews is a great feeling.
“It’s been a very tough season for me, and I would like to give a special thanks to my coaches, family and friends, and anyone who has been there.
“It was nice this week just to play three great rounds of golf – the first three – and keep it together in this last round.
“I got too aggressive on the second hole. I hit a great drive down there and felt like I had a good yardage. I was just too aggressive, and as soon as you get too aggressive on a links golf course, you get punished.
So I just kept myself together and knew that I have tried it before. So stayed very patient.”
Koepka made a solid start to his fourth round, notching back-to-back birdies at the fifth and sixth holes on his way to reaching the turn in 34.
The 25 year old began the back nine with three straight gains before carding his only bogey of the day at the 13th.
Koepka responded immediately, rolling in his 15 foot birdie putt at the 14th before closing out his round with four straight pars to finish on 16 under.
Stroud, meanwhile, opened his round with a bogey at the first before gains at the third, fourth and seventh holes took him to the turn in 34.
The 33 year old continued his charge with successive gains at the tenth and 11th but dropped another shot at the 16th to fall back to 15 under.
Stroud then birdied the final hole at St Andrews to join Koepka in a share of second place.
* Thanks to www.europeantour.com
