ALAN DUNBAR and Graeme McDowell share more than simply being members of Rathmore Golf Club. Yesterday at Royal Dublin, Dunbar demonstrated remarkable escapology skills in extricating himself from two potential defeats in the Irish Amateur Close Championship first and second rounds.
Holing a 30-foot birdie on the home green to see off Muskerry’s David Daly by one hole was rendered positively mundane in comparison to how he managed to extricate himself from his tussle with Greg Carew of Edenderry in the afternoon.
Dunbar was two down playing the 17th, but his opponent’s three-putt bogey from the back fringe saw the match go to the final hole.
Both players took three to reach the home green, and when Dunbar missed his 15-foot par putt, Carew was left with 14 inches to negotiate his passage to the third round.
But he could only look on, incredulous, as his putt spun out of the hole.
The Rathmore golfer explained later why he didn’t give the putt. “The only reason I didn’t concede was that his marker gave me a line for my putt. I didn’t expect him to miss.”
Carew’s misfortune was compounded when he failed to get up and down from the back of the green at the first tie hole, losing the match to Dunbar’s par.
The latter wasn’t able to witness the US Open triumph of a player who has been a golfing inspiration since the pair first met at Rathmore.
The B and B at which Dunbar was staying didn’t have Sky Sports, so the first he learned of McDowell’s victory at Pebble Beach was a text message at 6am.
“I believe the party went on at Rathmore until five. He (McDowell) is a hero of mine and I’d love to follow in his footsteps, although he’s raised the bar significantly now.
“It’s great for Ireland and obviously for him in becoming the first Irishman to win the US Open Championship.
“I remember as a kid watching him play in the North of Ireland Championship and he was certainly an inspiration.
“I’ve known him since I joined the club and he’s been very helpful.”
Dunbar confirmed that McDowell had texted him after the former recently won the Irish Amateur Open Championship, coincidentally at Royal Dublin. “Yes, it just said congratulations and to keep working hard at my game, keep it going.”
The Irish international’s immediate priority is to replenish the mental and physical reserves that have been depleted by his recent schedule that saw him get back from the British Amateur Championship on Friday and then get up at 5am the following day to play the first strokeplay qualifying round for the Irish Close.
His form of late has been excellent but as he candidly admitted he was fortunate to escape with his challenge intact yesterday playing, as he described it himself, “rubbish.”
He is aware, though, of the cachet of winning the Open and Close in the one season.
“I am tired but that doesn’t mean that I won’t be trying my hardest.”
It wasn’t an auspicious day for several of those who would have started with title ambitions, as British Open quarter-finalist and Lytham Trophy winner Paul Cutler, East of Ireland champion Cian Curley, Seamus Power and Paul Dunne were all first-round casualties.
Royal Dublin Scores
MATCHPLAY
First Round:Stephen Healy (Claremorris) bt Cian Curley (Newlands) 4 and 3; Niall Gorey (Lee Valley) bt Matthew McAlpin (Royal Portrush) 6 and 5; Stephen Loftus (Lahinch) bt Nicky Grant (Knock) 2 and 1; Joe Lyons (Galway) bt Andrew Hogan (Newlands) 2 and 1; Richard Walsh (Kilkenny) bt Paul O'Kane (Moyola Park) 19th; Stephen Crowe (Dunmurry) bt Sean Barry (Lee Valley) 3 and 2; Simon Bryan (Delgany) bt Barry Anderson (Co Sligo) 2 and 1; Eddie McCormack (Galway) bt Jason Tobin (Carrick-on-Suir) 19th; Dara Lernihan (Castle) bt Declan King (Tramore) 5 and 4; Gary O'Flaherty (Cork) bt Alan Condren (Greystones) 1 hole; Colin Fairweather (Knock) bt Tommy McGowan (Strandhill) 4 and 3; Robbie Cannon (Laytown and Bettystown) bt Gerard Dunne (Seapoint) 2 and 1; Gary McDermott (Co Sligo) bt Robert McCarthy (The Island) 1 hole; Eoin Arthurs (Forrest Little) bt Darragh Coghlan (Royal Dublin) 19th; Colm O'Sullivan (Fota Island) bt Craig Martin (Kilkenny) 4 and 3; Daniel Holland (Castle) bt Paul Cutler (Portstewart) 4 and 3; Alan Dunbar (Rathmore) bt David Daly (Muskerry) 1 hole; Greg Carew (Edenderry) bt Kealan Quigg (City of Derry) 19th; Des Morgan (Mullingar) bt Patrick McCrudden (Royal Portrush) 4 and 3; James Fox (Portmarnock) bt Steve Prendergast (Royal Dublin) 3 and 2; Thomas O'Flynn (Fota Island) bt Seamus Power (West Waterford) 5 and 4; Sean Ryan (Royal Dublin) bt Richard Knightley (Royal Dublin) 3 and 2; Barry Daly (Edmondstown) bt Daniel Hallissey (Muskerry) 1 hole; Luke Lennox (Moyola Park) bt David Reilly (Westmanstown) 3 and 1; Rory Leonard (Banbridge) bt Ronan Burke (Castle) 6 and 4; Ian Brennan (Greenore) bt David Murray (Skerries) 2 and 1; Richard O'Donovan (Lucan) bt Derek Downie (Sutton) 20th; Michael Durcan (Co Sligo) bt Stephen Moloney (Castletroy) 1 hole; James Monaghan (The Island) bt Gareth Dillon (The Heath) 1 hole; Rory McNamara (Headfort) bt Michael Sinclair (Knock) 4 and 2; Gerard Kelly (Co Louth) bt Brian O'Donovan (Bandon) 19th; Harry Diamond (Belvoir Park) bt Paul Dunne (Greystones) 4 and 2.
Second Round:Healy bt Gorey 2 holes; Loftus bt Lyons 1 hole; Crowe bt Walsh 2 and 1; McCormack bt Bryan 3 and 2; Lernihan bt O'Flaherty 3 and 2; Fairweather bt Cannon 1 hole; Arthurs bt McDermott 2 and 1; O'Sullivan bt Holland 5 and 4; Dunbar bt Carew 19th; Morgan bt Fox 3 and 2; Ryan bt O'Flynn 1 hole; Lennox bt Daly 8 and 7; Leonard bt Brennan 2 holes; O'Donovan bt Durcan 2 and 1; McNamara bt Monaghan 4 and 3; Kelly bt Diamond 2 and 1.
TODAY’S DRAW
Third Round– 08.30: Stephen Healy (Claremorris) v Stephen Loftus (Lahinch). 08.40: Stephen Crowe (Dunmurry) v Eddie McCormack (Galway). 08.50: Dara Lernihan (Castle) v Colin Fairweather (Knock). 09.00: Eoin Arthurs (Forrest Little) v Colm O'Sullivan (Fota Island). 09.10: Alan Dunbar (Rathmore) v Des Morgan (Mullingar). 09.20: Sean Ryan (Royal Dublin) v Luke Lennox (Moyola Park). 09.30: Rory Leonard (Banbridge) v Richard O'Donovan (Lucan). 09.40: Rory McNamara (Headfort) v Gerard Kelly (Co Louth).
