16th Aug 2016 | Czech Masters
Czech Masters: Paul Dunne
Has ability to make his mark at this level and wayward driving unlikely to be punished this week.
In weak European Tour events like the Czech Masters I’m always looking for the next young bright thing and Paul Dunne is a player I’ve followed all season.
The Irishman burst into the collective conscience when leading last year’s Open but he isn’t a flash in the pan. He enjoyed a good college career in the US and has backed it up in the early days of his professional career.
In February he used a sponsor’s invite to good effect when finishing T13 at the Farmers Insurance Open and anyone who goes well on the PGA Tour must warrant interest in a run of the mill European Tour event.
The 23-year-old’s big issue is his driving. Dunne ranks 149th in driving distance and 211st in driving accuracy which has led to the odd disaster on demanding courses. Fortunately, the Albatross Golf Resort isn’t one of them.
Like most resort courses there’s room for the wayward amateur and professional, Thomas Pieters won last year despite finishing the season ranked 203rd in driving accuracy. Jamie Donaldson before him was not much better ranked 118th.
Dunne’s deficiencies off the tee could go unpunished whereas he will gain strokes on the field with his electric short game and putting. At 150/1 (Coral) this could be his breakthrough.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 17:30 16th Aug, 2016 but subject to change
