Dunbar hoping to expand options at Tour School

Three Irish golfers, Peter O’Keeffe (Muskerry), Damian Mooney (Ballyliffin) and Mark Staunton (Ballinasloe), take part in the first European Tour School at the Roxburghe Hotel, Kelso, Scotland today.

However, as the series of qualifiers continues over the next few weeks, most eyes will be on Rathmore youngster Alan Dunbar who, by winning the British Amateur Championship in June, automatically qualified for a place in the 2013 Masters at Augusta and the British Open at Muirfield — provided he doesn’t join the paid ranks in the meantime.

That left Dunbar with a serious dilemma given that his ambition had always been to turn professional. Obviously, the chance of playing the Masters is a dream come true for any golf-mad youngster and, fortunately for Dunbar, he can keep his options open for some time yet before coming to a final decision.