RUN IS DUNNE
PAUL DUNNE last night lost his European Tour card – just two years after overpowering Rory McIlroy.
The Irishman missed the cut in the Portugal Masters, the last event to break into the top 117 on the Race to Dubai who retain playing privileges.
Having teed up this week 118th in the seasonlong competition to be crowned European No.1, the 26-year-old faces a trip to qualifying school if he is to return to the circuit.
The slump, which came after a three-over 74 left him three over in Vilamoura, is a far cry from the form that clinched his first Tour title in October 2017.
A 61 on the final day of the British Masters stopped runner-up McIlroy in his tracks as Dunne claimed a three-shot triumph.
Birdies on the second and third yesterday had Dunne – who shared the 54-hole lead in the 2015 Open at St Andrews as an amateur – poised to avoid a 12th missed cut in 14 events.
But a bogey on the ninth was followed by a horror triple-bogey eight on 12 after driving out of bounds.
Oliver Fisher holds a one-shot lead on the course where he carded the first 59 in European Tour history last year.
The Englishman fired two eagles and four birdies in a second 65 to finish 12
BY DALE RANKIN under, with South Africa’s Justin Walters (66) and South Korea’s Jeunghun Wang (65) on 11 under.
Fisher said: “The thing with golf is anything can happen, just as I proved last year. I’m on the same score as I was at this stage last year in this tournament.
“I shot 71-59 and this year I’ve shot two 65s. I’m pleased to hit 65, I’m looking forward to the weekend.”
Marc Warren is the best-placed Scot after a 68 left him in a share of 35th on three under.
But having entered the week way down at 217th in the Race to Dubai, going back to Q-School looms.
It is a similar story for Liam Johnston – two under after back-to-back 70s – who was 146th in the season-long race heading to Portugal. Paul Lawrie, the only other Scot to be teeing up today, is one under after a 69.
Stephen Gallacher, David Law, David Drysdale and Grant Forrest all missed the cut.
The quartet are safe on next season’s Tour but none of them did enough to join Robert MacIntyre and Richie Ramsay in next month’s Turkish Open field.
A £5.46million prize pot is up for grabs in the first of two Rolex Series events before the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.