Question: You find yourself almost €50,000 richer after your first tournament as a professional golfer.
Do you (a), go on the razz in the clubhouse bar? Or (b), get to bed early before an early start?
We’re in little doubt that we would choose the former option, but it’s that attitude (and a catastrophic putting game) that has us sitting here on the outside marvelling at Paul Dunne’s meteoric rise.
Three months after an amazing British Open debut -which saw him leading after 54 holes before eventually finishing 30th – the Greystones golfer was back on the Old Course at St Andrew’s for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
The 22 year old clearly enjoys the birthplace of golf, as he marked his professional debut with a 12-under-par performance, which was good enough to finish tied for 19th alongside Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell.
His finish was worth €47,530. Not bad work if you can get it and a nice consolation after missing out on more than that again in July, due to his amateur status at the British Open.
Solid week @dunhilllinks this week. Quality tournament! Hopefully can improve a few things for next week! Thanks for all the support!
— Paul Dunne (@dunners11) October 5, 2015
Plenty to celebrate then, or did Dunne forego a celebratory drink for an eye-bleedingly early start at 4.46am this morning?
Judging by his post-round interviews yesterday, the latter is more likely, as the European Walker Cup star goes in search of a European Tour card.
“I’m not worried about money, it is not something that motivates me – it is just a means to get a card, the card is the main thing for me,” said Dunne.
“I need to win a hell of a lot over the next few weeks to get my card, hopefully I can win as much as possible,” added Dunne, who is 201st on Race Dubai standings after.
Relying on tournament invites at this point, Dunne will tee it up at the British Masters this Thursday and next week’s Portugal Masters as he goes in search of his ticket to next season’s European Tour.
Secure that and maybe there will be a party.
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