Dunbar targets Irish Open after amateur success

Alan Dunbar heads into the Irish Open at Royal Portrush this week with confidence sky high after becoming only the third Northern Irishman in history to land the coveted British Amateur title.

Only Garth McGimpsey at Dornoch in 1985 and Michael Hoey at Prestwick 16 years later have brought the crown to Ulster before and when the 22-year-old added his name to the list he said: “There must be something about the Scottish air.”

In the first amateur final to go the distance since Alejandro Larrazabal defeated Martin Sell at Porthcawl a decade ago, Dunbar edged a one-hole victory over Austrian teenager Matthias Schwarb, who unbelievably missed a four-foot putt to lose the opportunity of taking the match into sudden-death. Dunbar attributed his success to his putting.