Paul Dunne exited the recorder's hut after his fourth day of work unaware that his payday amounted to €47,530.
“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 the 22-year-old Greystones man after a tied-19th finish in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship– his first tournament as a professional – got him started on that particular quest to win a full card for the 2016 season.
As Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen held his nerve to claim a third career title, Dunne finished alongside Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell on 276, 12-under-par.
It marked an impressive start to his pro career just a month after being part of the winning Britain and Ireland team in the Walker Cup.
“I just wanted to keep the bogeys off the card, so disappointed to three-putt the 17th,” said Dunne of the only bogey of a finishing round of 70 that also featured three birdies.
Dunne – who was playing on a sponsor’s invite and who also has an invitation into this week’s British Masters at Woburn, where he was leading qualifier in British Open qualifying for the past two years – felt he could have fared even better but for a cold putter.
“I had a few putts I thought were going to go in that held up short or just grazed the edge,” he said, adding: “It has been a decent week and hopefully I can get better going into Woburn.”
The Wicklowman has two ways of securing his tour card for 2016: the first is by winning sufficient money on sponsor’s invites to get into the top 110 on the moneylist; alternatively, he must progress through the stages of qualifying school.
The cheque for €47,530 from St Andrews on his pro debut has put him in at 201 on the Race to Dubai standings and he has two further invites, to Woburn and the following week’s Portugal Masters if he is to earn a card via the money route.
Alternative route
“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,” said Dunne.
The alternative route – if he doesn’t win sufficient prizemoney – will be through Q-School. Dunne has already successfully negotiated Stage One (in Austria) and will compete in Stage Two in Spain in early November in his attempt to get through to the final stage in Catalunya in late-November.
McDowell, showing a welcome return to form, moved into contention in the final round when he picked up five birdies on the front nine to go out in 31 strokes. But the birdies dried up on the run home and the Ulsterman finished with three bogeys in his final four holes for a 70 for 276.
Lowry, back playing for the first time in six weeks after a planned break, finished with a bogey-free 67 to jump up 30 places to finish alongside Dunne and McDowell on 276.
Lowry remained in sixth place in the Race to Dubai standings and will also feature in this week’s British Masters.
For Olesen, it was an emotional win. The Dane – who missed three months of the season earlier this year due to wrist surgery – finished with a 71 for 270, 18-under-par, to have a two-stroke winning margin over American duo Brooks Koepka and Chris Stroud.
Olesen had a poor start to his final round with a double bogey six on the second and bogey five on the third but showed his character to birdie the fourth and fifth and then reeled off nine straight pars .
Tough year
“It’s been a very tough year and standing here with this trophy is unbelievable, on these three golf courses and finishing off especially on St Andrews is a great feeling.
“It’s been a very tough season for me .... and I would like to give special thanks to my coaches, family and friends and anyone who has been there for me,” said Olesen.
