Dunne Has Putting Wings Clipped Despite Soaring With Two DP World Eagles.

8 years ago by Comments Off on Dunne Has Putting Wings Clipped Despite Soaring With Two DP World Eagles.

Paul Dunne had his putting wings clipped despite soaring with two eagles on day two of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

Dunne brilliantly chipped-in at par five seventh hole and then drained a lengthy eagle putt at the last in a round of a two-under par 70 to end the round sharing sixth place at seven-under par on the Jumeriah Estates Earth course.

If left the reigning British Masters victory hero trailing just three shots behind defending champ, Matthew Fitzpatrick who posted a second straight 67 for a 10-under tally.

Fitzpatrick leads by a shot from Tyrrell Hatton (63) while Justin Rose bogeyed the last in a 70 to sharing third place with American Julian Suri (68) and Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat (67).

Paul Dunne gives the thumbs up after one of two eagles on day two 2017 DP World C’ship.

Big mover was current European Tour No. 1 Tommy Fleetwood who gave Rose something to think about in birding four of his opening six holes and then four of his last seven in a score of six-under and now trailing two behind Rose and his Race to Dubai rival.

“It’s all about how you react to stuff, isn’t it,” Fleetwood said.

“I just got off to a bad start on Thursday but today, you get over it, you move on, and still three rounds of golf left to play; now there’s two.

“My swing felt a lot better. I was on the putting green till dark last night and today was just a much better today.”

Should Fleetwood and Rose finish where they stand now after two rounds then Fleetwood will be crowned European No. 1.

There was just six eagles among the 60 players on day two and Dunne bagged two of them and with Dnne placing himself in a great position to end the season inside the leading 10 on the Race to Dubai and, if so, grab a slice of the lucrative ‘bonus pool’.

And while Dunne had the crowd on their feet at the last, it was his ‘flat stick’ that the Greystone golfer said was his big concern heading to the weekend.

“It was a really frustrating day as I thought played great tee-to-green as I have all year as my swing feels great and I am flighting the ball really nicely but overall I just could not any putts to drop,” he said.

“Normally, that is the strength of my game so I am hoping today was just one of those freak days and I will do a bit of work on it this afternoon.

“I can’t even count the number of chances I missed insider 10-feet as I reckon there was at least eight or nine of them.

“So, it was one of those rounds where I really could have shot a low one and to be at level par walking up the last, I felt a little bit sour so after hitting two nice shots into the green and to hole the putt was a bonus.

“The positives are that I am well up there and only three shots behind going into the weekend and I can continue hitting the ball like I am and putt like I did on Thursday I am going to have a great chance.”

Shane Lowry is only two shots behind Dunne and delighting a large Irish contingent in attendance in birding three of his closing four holes in a round of 70 for a five-under tally.

“It was nice to finish the way I did but what was important was my up-and-downs earlier on,” said Lowry.

“I played quite poorly today and I don’t know how I shot two-under as it was one of those days … and to be honest I felt quite tired and made some bad decisions and hit some lazy shots.

“I just felt really tired out there and need to go back to my hotel and have a rest, and hopefully have more game tomorrow and see what I can do.”

Lowry had earlier sandwiched a fifth hole birdie between bogeys at his third and eighth holes.

 

 



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