DEREK LAWRENSON’S STARS AND FLOPS OF 2017

Three over-achievers on the european Tour this year . . .

PAUL DUNNE (Rep of Ire) All the expectation from leading The Open at St Andrews in 2015 as an amateur with a round to play weighed heavily as he finished outside the top 100 in his first year on tour. Not so this season, as the 24-yearold pulled off a sensational win at the British Masters — Ireland’s only victory this year. Sixteenth in the Race to Dubai.

JORDAN SMITH (Eng) This season, in his rookie year, the 25-year-old finished 24th in the Race to Dubai, with a win at the Porsche Open and a top 10 in his first major, the USPGA Championship at Quail Hollow.

EDDIE PEPPERELL (Eng) The odds were stacked so heavily against qualifying school graduates on tour this year it was a joke. But Pepperell (right) kept his card, despite being ineligible for all the big Rolex events in July, and made it to the DP World Tour Championship last week,

open only to the top 60. . . . and three heading back to the drawing board:

CHRIS WOOD (Eng) After a decent Ryder Cup last year, the genial Bristol giant went backwards this season and ended it with a horrific 79 in Dubai yesterday. His swing has fallen out of kilter and he is seeing a sports psychologist.

ANDY SULLIVAN (Eng) The former supermarket worker is outside the world’s top 100, having been as high as 28th two years ago. Sullivan, 31, is in need of a fast start next season if he is to regain the privileges to the big events.

GRAEME McDOWELL (N Ire) Talk about missing in action. What on earth has happened to the 2010 US Open champion whose game and gritty approach used to be a byword for consistency? This season, he didn’t muster a single top-10 finish in 10 counting tournaments on the European Tour — and only one in America — to plummet to 159th in the world. At 38, there must be worries as to whether he will ever find his way back.