Paul Dunne and Niall Kearney make final stage battle for Asian Tour cards
Greystones’ Paul Dunne
Paul Dunne and Niall Kearney came through pre-qualifying for next week’s Final Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School in Thailand.
Former British Masters winner Dunne closed with a four-under 68 to finish tied for sixth on 14-under at Grand Prix Golf Club in Kanchanaburi where 17 players qualified.
Asian Tour Qualifying School (Section E), Phoenix Gold Golf Bangkok (South & West Course)
Asian Tour Qualifying School (Section F), Grand Prix Golf Club
Asian Tour Qualifying School (Section G), Springfield Royal Country Club
The Greystones man (32), who claimed his maiden DP World Tour win by holding off a late charge from Rory McIlroy for the 2017 British Masters, made five birdies and two bogeys in his final round to finish just three shots behind winner Ivan Ramirez of Colombia.
Dunne finished 16th in the Race to Dubai in 2017 and 56th in 2018 but he suffered a hand injury in 2019 and lost his card after being forced to pull out of the final stage of the European Q-School that year.
He has struggled ever since and failed to retain any status on the DP World Tour but next week’s Asian Tour Q-School offers him a chance to make a comeback and play regular tour golf again.
Declan Kenny shot a bogey-free 67 to miss out by five shots on five-under at Grand Prix with Waterford’s Kevin Phelan two shots further back after a 74.
There was better news for the Irish at Springfield Royal Country Club in Cha-Am, where Royal Dublin’s Kearney claimed one of 20 places at the final stage.
A regular at the Asian Tour Q-School, Kearney made four birdies and two bogeys in a two-under 70 to share 18th place on seven-under.
France based Michael Young, who was out of the running on three-over after 54 holes, was disqualified.
Dunne and Kearney will now tee it up at the five-round Final Stage at Lake View Resort and Golf Club in Hua Hin from December 17-21.
There will be 240 players in the field, which will be cut to 140 after 36 holes before a 72-hole cut to the top 70 and ties for the fifth and final round.
Only the top 35 after 90 holes will win cards with a hole-by-hole playoff set to decide any ties for 35th place.
