Paul Dunne battled food poisoning and exhaustion to qualify for Wednesday's first matchplay round of the weather-delayed US Amateur Championship but Gary Hurley and Cormac Sharvin missed out after play resumed at Olympia Fields.
The 22-year old from Greystones, who was recognised and congratulated by many spectators and volunteers for his performance in last month’s British Open at St Andrews, birdied the par-five 18th on the South Course from around eight feet for a one-under 69 and a level par aggregate of 140.
That left him in a share of 16th position, well inside the top 64 that will start the gruelling matchplay stages.
Dunne confessed that he slept poorly and had hardly eaten a thing for 24 hours after a Sunday night dinner with Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup captain Nigel Edwards and other players.
“It’s my fault for ordering the fish tacos and the fish cakes,” quipped a wan Dunne at the finish, pleased he was certain to make the leading 64 who go through the first round of matchplay combat scheduled for today.
A 90-minute delay caused by torrential overnight rain on Monday, did little to help Dunne, who was running low on energy when the hooter to suspend play due to darkness sounded just minutes after he’d finished.
“I wasn’t feeling the best at all but I just thought if I shot par or better today I would get through,” said Dunne, who birdied the first from two feet and get back to level for the championship after Monday’s one over 71 on the tougher North Course.
“The greens were very soft after the rain and I played really mixed because there was some really good golf and some terrible stuff as well.”
After a birdie at the par-five seventh and a good save at the 10th, Dunne was cruising until tiredness set in and he made soft bogeys at the 15th and 17th.
“For the first 14 holes, I managed to keep bogeys off my card, which was pleasing considering I hit a lot of bad shots,” he said. “But I scrambled well and my short game was good. I made a couple of bogeys coming in but it was nice to make a birdie on the last to secure my place. I’m happy to get in without panicking too much.”
Ardglass man Sharvin needed to pick up two shots over his final two holes on the resumption of play at 7:30am local time and a three at the par-four 17th left him needing a birdie on the par-five final hole. Agonisingly he could only manage a par to miss out on a play-off for the top 64 places.
Hurley needed to pick up just one shot over the final two holes but the West Waterford player carded two bogeys to finish on six over.
