Dunne stays in the hunt
Paul Dunne keeps Masters dream alive with strong display in Houston
PAUL DUNNE knows he must banish thoughts of a Masters debut if he’s to get closer to winning his PGA Tour card at the Houston Open in Texas.
The Wicklow man and Clara’s Shane Lowry kept their Augusta dreams alive with battling second-round performances at the Golf Club of Houston.
Like later starters Pádraig Harrington and Shane Lowry, one of them must win the $7 million (€5.7m) event to clinch a ticket to Augusta National next week.
But while all four hope to make that trip with a win, Dunne admitted that he “can’t be thinking about the Masters” and a trip down Magnolia Lane but must concentrate instead on doing well enough on limited PGA Tour starts to earn his US card.
Ranked 78th in the world but with a chance to get his foot in the door with a big performance this week, Dunne said. “It’s a quiet time on the European Tour until after the Masters and I was lucky enough to get a sponsor’s invitation last week in Puntacana and I played well and finished fifth, which got me in this week.
“That’s the reason I am over here. I’d be happy to play both tours, like everyone in the top 50 in the world who has that chance, but I have to get there first.
“You don’t get many opportunities to play over here so I have to take advantage of the chances I do get and if things work out, I will have an opportunity to win my PGA Tour card.”
The Greystones star (25) was just a shot behind the clubhouse leaders on six-under par with four holes of his rain-delayed opening round remaining when play was suspended on Thursday night.
But he kept his hot form going yesterday morning, holing a 30-footer for a birdie two at the 16th and a 14-footer at the next to post an eight-under 64 that was good enough for a one-shot, first round lead – his first on the PGA Tour since he led The Open after 54 holes as an amateur in 2015.
The former University of Alabama, Birmingham star had just 15 minutes to get ready for the second round.
But he fought hard to keep his momentum going and carded a one-under 71 that left him just two shots behind early leader Beau Hossler on nine-under par and in with a chance of winning enough FedEx Cup points with a top-20 finish to earn Special Temporary Membership.
Dunne had to start his second round shortly after signing his first-round card and immediately dropped a shot when he carved his tee shot into trouble and had to take a penalty drop.
He bounced back with a pitchand-putt birdie four at his fourth hole but failed to get up and down from over the green at the 18th.
He didn’t lose heart, however, and hit a stunning wedge to two feet at the third to get back to eight-under.
After failing to birdie the parfive fourth, Dunne had to work hard for pars at the fifth and sixth but then chipped close to set up an easy birdie four at the eighth.
Lowry was 24th, four behind Dunne after his opening 68 but soon moved through the gears and a second successive 68 left him just three off the lead on eight-under.
After birdies from 12 feet at the first and five feet at the third, the Clara man made a sloppy bogey six at the eighth before surging home in 33.
Power and Harrington, who opened with five-under 67s to share 10th spot behind Dunne after the first round, were among the late starters last night.