PAUL DUNNE MISSED the cut today in his debut tournament as a full member of the European Tour.

Having shot a 73 yesterday at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, Dunne needed an additional two strokes to complete his second round.

That left the 23-year-old — who topped the leaderboard heading into the final day the The Open earlier this year — at four over par at the midway point of the tournament, four shots shy of the cut at Leopard Creek in South Africa.

It was also a disappointing day for Waterford’s Kevin Phelan. After a relatively good opening round of 70 yesterday, he followed up today with a 77 to miss the cut by three strokes.

The only other Irish player in the field, Peter Lawrie, also won’t be around for the weekend. He failed to begin his second round, having carded a 79 yesterday.

Home favourite Charl Schwartzel has a five-shot lead at the halfway stage over a quartet of players — Joost Luiten, Benjamin Herbert, Richard Sterne and Pablo Martin Benavides.

‘There’s so much depth in New Zealand that they don’t need players like me to come back’

‘He achieved things only a tiny percentage of the population will ever even get close to’