Paul Dunne endured something of a roller-coaster ride in the second round of the DP World Tour Championship on the Earth Course in Dubai but finished on a high as an eagle on the 18th – for a second round 70 for seven-under-par 137, three shots behind midway leader Matt Fitzpatrick – put him firmly into the mix heading into the second phase of the season-ending examination.
After what he described as “a really frustrating day” on the greens, the 24-year-old Greystones player’s resilience was demonstrated with a masterful play of the par 5 finishing hole where his three-wood approach from 264 yards set him up for a second eagle of his round. On the seventh, he’d chipped-in; and, on the 18th, his putter behaved for once as he rolled in a 15-footer to move into a share of sixth place at the midpoint.
“I played as well tee-to-green as I have all year,” said Dunne, adding: “My swing feels great and I was flighting the ball really well. I just couldn’t get any putts, none, and normally that is a strength of my game. So I am hoping that it is just one of those days, can’t even count how many chances I missed inside eight feet. Level par felt a bit sour going up the last, and I just wanted to pick one up. To hole the (eagle) putt was a bonus. The positive is I am going in to the weekend only three shots back. If I continue hitting it like I do and putt like I did (in the first round) feel like I have a great chance.”
Apart from being in contention, Dunne, 15th in the order of merit heading into the tournament, also has a chance to earn extra cash from the Race to Dubai bonus pool. The top-10 players on the moneylist will claim bonus payments, ranging from $1 million for the moneywinner to $250,000 for the player finishing in 10th on the season-long order of merit.
Just three shots off the lead, Dunne – whose up-and-down round featured two eagles, two birdies and four bogeys – admitted his eyes were on chasing down those ahead of him.
“It is one of those things, we are greedy; everyone is greedy. The way I feel like I am playing I feel like i should have a chance to win. It would be disappointing not to have a chance coming down the last few holes (on Sunday). I am just going to keep doing what I am doing, and if I play normal I feel like I am going to shoot mid-to-high 60s every day. So hopefully my score will be better than everyone else.”
Shane Lowry, the only other Irish player in the field, also had an eagle chance on the last but his putt failed to drop and he had to accept a birdie for a second round 70 for 139 that left him in tied-15th place.
The Offalyman said he was feeling “tired” through his second round and reckoned his two-under on the day was one of the best scores he’d ever shot given his level of fatigue. Lowry rescued his round with three birdies in his closing four holes to remain within touching distance of the lead.
Fitzpatrick, winner of the tournament last year, moved to the top of the leaderboard with a second successive 67 for 134 which put him one stroke clear of fellow-Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, who scorched the course with a 63 only blighted by a closing bogey.
“I think it’s one of those things,” Fitzpatrick said. “I’ve got nothing to lose. I’m not trying to win The Race to Dubai unfortunately. I won here last year, so again, I’ve got nothing to lose. Obviously it would be nice to defend .....I think the only thing I would say is that I did win last year, and that probably gives me a little bit more confidence than everyone else. Maybe apart from Rosey (Justin Rose) because he’s won the last two starts.”
The battle for the order of merit title is a three-way fight between long-time leader Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia. Fleetwood’s second round 65 for 138 to Rose’s 70 for 136 would indicate more of a two-way duel heading into the weekend, with Fleetwood narrowly ahead in the projected standings with two rounds of a long season left.
Scores from the European Tour World Tour Championship (Eart Course, par 72):
-10: Matthew Fitzpatrick (Britain) 67 67
-9: Tyrrell Hatton (Britain) 72 63
-8: Justin Rose (Britain) 66 70 Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Thailand) 69 67 Julian Suri (U.S.) 68 68
-7: Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark) 68 69 Scott Hend (Australia) 66 71 Patrick Reed (U.S.) 65 72 Paul Dunne (Ireland) 67 70 Jon Rahm (Spain) 69 68
-6: Tommy Fleetwood (Britain) 73 65 Ryan Fox (New Zealand) 67 71 Alexander Bjork (Sweden) 67 71 Dean Burmester (South Africa) 70 68
-5: Ian Poulter (Britain) 70 69 Shane Lowry (Ireland) 69 70 Pablo Larrazabal (Spain) 69 70 Sergio Garcia (Spain) 70 69 Ross Fisher (Britain) 71 68 Dylan Frittelli (South Africa) 71 68 Peter Uihlein (U.S.) 71 68
-4: Martin Kaymer (Germany) 68 72 Francesco Molinari (Italy) 69 71 Haydn Porteous (South Africa) 70 70 Adrian Otaegui (Spain) 71 69
-3: Matthieu Pavon (France) 71 70 Wang Jeunghun (Korea) 71 70 Callum Shinkwin (Britain) 72 69 Li Haotong (China) 72 69
-2: Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark) 74 68 Fabrizio Zanotti (Paraguay) 67 75 Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spain) 73 69 Victor Dubuisson (France) 75 67 Michael Lorenzo-Vera (France) 70 72 David Lipsky (U.S.) 70 72 Jordan Smith (Britain) 75 67 Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 70 72 Richard Sterne (South Africa) 71 71
-1: Joost Luiten (Netherlands) 73 70 Alexander Noren (Sweden) 74 69 Branden Grace (South Africa) 72 71 Alexander Levy (France) 67 76
Level: Richie Ramsay (Britain) 72 72 Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) 68 76 Chris Wood (Britain) 70 74 David Horsey (Britain) 68 76 Paul Waring (Britain) 70 74 Andy Sullivan (Britain) 68 76
+1: David Drysdale (Britain) 73 72 Eddie Pepperell (Britain) 75 70
+2: George Coetzee (South Africa) 70 76
+3: Andrew Dodt (Australia) 70 77 Scott Jamieson (Britain) 76 71 Bernd Wiesberger (Austria) 71 76
+4: Thomas Pieters (Belgium) 74 74 Lee Westwood (Britain) 75 73 Marc Warren (Britain) 72 76
+5: Lucas Bjerregaard (Denmark) 75 74
+6: Hideto Tanihara (Japan) 73 77 Graeme Storm (Britain) 76 74
