So near and yet so far
Golfing ace happy with form despite defeat
GREYSTONES golfer Paul Dunne says that his performance in Morocco, although ultimately ending in defeat, is a “step in the right direction” to where he wants to go as a professional sportsman.
Dunne must continue his quest for a maiden title on the European Tour after losing to Italy’s Edoardo Molinari in a play-off at the Trophee Hassan II.
However, he’ll take home a cheque for €277,000 for finishing second, which also means a nice payday for his temporary caddie Karl Holmes.
The Greystones man stepped in to carry his bag after regular caddie Darren Reynolds opted to skip this week’s event, having suffered from food poisoning during last year’s tournament.
After the event, the talented Dunne rued some costly mistakes.
“I felt like there were just so many shots that slipped away from me. It’s just one of those days,” he said.
“I felt like I was really close to shooting four or five under and stuck with one under in the end.
“I’m happy with my form and looking forward to next week.
“I’m just a bit disappointed not to come out with the result we wanted but it’s a step in the right direction.”
Molinari stormed into contention with two eagles in the last seven holes to set the clubhouse target of nine under par, which Dunne was able to match with a birdie on the last.
The players returned to the 18th for sudden death and a scrappy par was good enough to give Molinari the win after Dunne found trouble off the tee and failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker.
Molinari’s previous victories both came in 2010; the second, in the final qualifying event for the Ryder Cup, persuaded European captain Colin Montgomerie to give the former US Amateur champion a wild card for Celtic Manor.
A serious wrist injury meant Molinari played just 14 events in 2013 and, although he finished 40th on the money list the following year, he had to regain his playing rights via the qualifying school in 2015 and 2016.