Dunne solves the riddle of the sands to lead Irish challenge
Paul Dunne. Picture: Pat Cashman
Bunker buster Paul Dunne has set his sights on the Silver Medal after a tactical masterclass in The Open.
The Greystones amateur, 22, plotted his way to a second successive 69 at St Andrews to get to within three of the clubhouse leader Danny Willett on six under par.
And he’s done it like Tiger Woods, avoiding all 112 bunkers on the Old Course for the second day in a row, just as the former world No 1 Woods did for all four days en route to victory in 2000.
Delighted to make the cut with ease after missing out by two shots last year, Dunne said: “It was really enjoyable. I expected the weather to be worse than yesterday, which it was.
“But because it was just a crosswind all day, I knew there was a couple birdie chances on the back nine, so I thought if I could just get anything in under par it would be a really good score. I was delighted to shoot 69."
On solving the Riddle of the Sands of St Andrews, he said: “I haven’t hit it in one yet. Hopefully that's not a jinx on it tomorrow and I hit every one out there.
“I've been close to a couple. Yesterday my drive on 14, I hit a bad one, I pulled up it should have gone into the bunker. I got lucky it bounced over one.
“I wouldn't say I've been perfect in avoiding them. I've got a couple lucky breaks here and there, but hopefully I can stay out of them the next two days. That would be great.”
Dunne has set his sights on playing in the Walker Cup this year before turning professional and he’s convinced he has the game to take the pressure.
Explaining why he’s doing so well, Dunne said: “When the atmosphere is like this, it’s kind of like a zoo out there but amateurs, we’re well capable of shooting the scores needed to do well.
“It's just about controlling your emotions when you're out there, not letting it get to you.”
Despite making eight birdies and just two bogeys in two rounds, Dunne is not getting ahead of himself in the battle for the Silver Medal.
He said: “Obviously that would be brilliant to get the silver medal in my last year as an amateur.
“It would be something I would remember forever but there’s a lot of golf and a lot of bad weather to play in before that.”
After a birdie at the ninth, Dunne picked up a shot at the 14th and then drained a 20 footer at the 15th to move into the Top 10.
He said: “I knew if I made that I’d get on the first page of the leaderboard. It didn’t make me nervous, it just kind of made me excited.
“I was little disappointed to three-putt 16 and make bogey, but it was nice to get it back at the last.”
Explaining why he’s doing so well, Dunne added: “When the atmosphere is like this, it’s kind of like a zoo out there but amateurs, we’re well capable of shooting the scores needed to do well.
“It's just about controlling your emotions when you're out there, not letting it get to you.”
Despite making eight birdies and just two bogeys in two rounds, Dunne is not getting ahead of himself in the battle for the Silver Medal.
He said: “Obviously that would be brilliant to get the silver medal in my last year as an amateur.
“It would be something I would remember forever but there’s a lot of golf and a lot of bad weather to play in before that.”
The Wicklow man has hit his target for the first two days.
On Thursday he wanted to shoot 68 and settled for a 69 while yesterday he opted for 72 but changed to a 70 as the wind changed direction.
After signing for a 69, he said: “I was one-over my number yesterday, one-under today, so I’ll take it.”
