Irish amateur Paul Dunne will tee it up at the 144th British Open Championship from July 15th-19th at St Andrew’s following a stunning nine under par, 36-hole total, during the final qualifying tournament at Woburn golf club.
The 22-year-old Greystones golfer, who graduated from the University of Alabama in Business Finance in April, finished first, grabbing one of three places on offer, after rounds of 70 and a brilliant afternoon, 65. There was a curious symmetry to his achievement as it was almost a year ago to the day that he achieved the exact same feat of qualifying for last year’s British Open, over the same Woburn course.
On that occasion he shot identical rounds of 67 in the morning and afternoon; this time he was in a tie for fourth place after an opening 70 before accelerating clear in the afternoon. Among those in his golfing slipstream were Retief Goosen, Colin Montgomerie, Robert Rock and Nick O’Hern.
Dunne demonstrated his mental resolve in the morning, fighting on occasionally errant game, to birdie the seventh, eighth and ninth, his last three holes having started on the 10th. The catalyst for his afternoon heroics was an eagle on the seventh, where he hit driver and a two-iron to reach the par five. He repeated his birdie blitz down the stretch, on this occasion with three in the last four holes, the 15th, 17th and 18th.
The Greystones golfer is hoping to make the Walker Cup team later this year and will then go to the European Tour Qualifying School to try and earn his card as a professional. How he’d love a sponsor’s invite to the British Masters at the Woburn course he’s played so superbly.
There were 12 places on offer, spread evenly across four venues, for a place at St Andrews later in the month. There was heartbreak for a couple of the 11-strong Irish contingent of professionals and amateurs that chased a coveted spot at the British Open.
Kevin Phelan finished one shot outside a playoff in a tie for fifth place after rounds of 70 and 71 at Gailes Golf Club in Ayreshire. The Castle’s Alex Gleeson shot a superb 67 in the morning but a 77 ended his hopes. Clontarf professional Eamonn Brady finished in a tie for sixth at Hillside after rounds of 73 and 71.
Irish Details
At Woburn
135 - P Dunne (a) (Greystones) 70, 65
155 - D Rawluk 79, 76
At Gailes
141 - K Phelan 70, 71
144 - A Gleeson (a) (Castle) 67, 77
148 - T Rice 76, 72
At Cinque Ports
149 - R O’Donovan 78, 71; G Lenehan (a) (Portmarnock) 72, 77
At Hillside
144 - E Brady 73, 71
152 - M McGeady 72, 80
RTD: R McGee 76; G Moynihan (a) (Naas) 78
