PAUL DUNNE IS not one to look back. His experience at St Andrew’s last year will always remain an indelible one but the Greystones man is keen to look forward and focus on what he can do next.
A lot has changed since his brush with Open glory 12 months ago. This week is his first Major as a professional and he arrives at Royal Troon with the baggage of what’s proved to be a mixed debut season.
Five top-20 finishes would suggest a solid start to life on the Tour for the 23-year-old but it doesn’t tell the whole story.
As he says himself, there is still work to be done on his game if he is to compete on this, the biggest, of stages.
“I feel like I have the game, that when my game’s on I can compete at this level,” Dunne said yesterday at Royal Troon.
“Obviously there’s a lot of people that feel that way as well. You never know until you’re in the situation. I’d like to think I’d have a great chance if I put myself in that position again, but only time will tell.
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“I need to do a bit of work on my game to compete on this stage. I have been struggling a little bit but there have been signs here and there that things are coming back.”
Given he is in the infancy of a fledgling career, it’s natural for Dunne to be a work in progress. He continues to show glimpses of his undoubted potential but a couple of recent missed cuts appear to have dented his confidence.
The Wicklow man has brought in Alan Murray to caddy for him again this week. Peter Byrne
Peter Byrne
His last four rounds read 78, 70, 77 and 78 and save for an encouraging week at the BMW International Open last month, Dunne is very much searching for a spark to reignite his flame.
But this is Open season.
He won the Woburn qualifier for the third straight year to book his place among the elite field for the third Major of the year and how he would love to replicate his exploits of last year.
“I’m never happy,” Dunne adds. “Top 20s are great but I haven’t really been in contention for anything. I am more worried about the state of my game at the minute than what I have done, I don’t really care about what has happened in the past.”
The world number 355 begins his Championship at 8.36am on Thursday morning alongside Americans Scott Piercy and Jamie Lovemark.
His first task is to make the weekend and negotiate that hurdle — and then he may just be able to dream again.
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Paul Dunne hoping the magic of the Open can bring the best out of him again
PAUL DUNNE IS not one to look back. His experience at St Andrew’s last year will always remain an indelible one but the Greystones man is keen to look forward and focus on what he can do next.
A lot has changed since his brush with Open glory 12 months ago. This week is his first Major as a professional and he arrives at Royal Troon with the baggage of what’s proved to be a mixed debut season.
Five top-20 finishes would suggest a solid start to life on the Tour for the 23-year-old but it doesn’t tell the whole story.
As he says himself, there is still work to be done on his game if he is to compete on this, the biggest, of stages.
“I feel like I have the game, that when my game’s on I can compete at this level,” Dunne said yesterday at Royal Troon.
“I need to do a bit of work on my game to compete on this stage. I have been struggling a little bit but there have been signs here and there that things are coming back.”
Given he is in the infancy of a fledgling career, it’s natural for Dunne to be a work in progress. He continues to show glimpses of his undoubted potential but a couple of recent missed cuts appear to have dented his confidence.
His last four rounds read 78, 70, 77 and 78 and save for an encouraging week at the BMW International Open last month, Dunne is very much searching for a spark to reignite his flame.
But this is Open season.
He won the Woburn qualifier for the third straight year to book his place among the elite field for the third Major of the year and how he would love to replicate his exploits of last year.
“I’m never happy,” Dunne adds. “Top 20s are great but I haven’t really been in contention for anything. I am more worried about the state of my game at the minute than what I have done, I don’t really care about what has happened in the past.”
The world number 355 begins his Championship at 8.36am on Thursday morning alongside Americans Scott Piercy and Jamie Lovemark.
His first task is to make the weekend and negotiate that hurdle — and then he may just be able to dream again.
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
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2016 open been there dunne that Paul Dunne royal troon The Open