Dunne hopes to flourish on Baltray greens

Paul Dunne is keeping his fingers crossed the billiard table Baltray greens can inspire a resurrection in his putting when he begins his defence of the East of Ireland Amateur Open title at County Louth today.

The 21-year old Greystones star, just back from the US where he finished 19th in the prestigious NCAA Championship finals in Kansas, knows he will need his silky putting touch if he is to become the first man to retain the title since Raymie Burns in 1993.

The top Irish player at 46th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Dunne said: “I’ve always liked the greens. They are amongst the best links greens we play all year. If you hit it well and give yourself chances it is more rewarding because you don’t have to worry about poor quality greens when you have birdie putts.

“Maybe the greens will inspire me. The course certainly suits my eye and I’ve been working hard on the putting, so hopefully it will come together and I will start to see results.”

Dunne won twice with the University of Alabama Birmingham this year, earning a call up for the prestigious Palmer Cup match between the top college players from Europe and the US at Walton Heath from June 26-28.

But he admits his putting has held him back, explaining: “To be honest, for the last five or six months I have been struggling on the greens. If I can get that settled, I will be able to start posting some really good scores.

“Going to America has really helped me — practising on really good golf courses every day against team-mates you compete against, in good weather, it adds an extra dimension to your game.”

The East might be one of the most prestigious titles in the country but the modern golf calendar is now so congested and players so keen to improve their world ranking to earn starts in other elite international events that internationals Reeve Whitson, Dermot McElroy, Cormac Sharvin, Rory McNamara, Jack Hume, Gavin Moynihan and Richard O’Donovan have decided to chase bigger world ranking points in the clashing Scottish Amateur Open.

There are plenty of title contenders, however, with West Waterford’s Gary Hurley, Balbriggan’s Robbie Cannon and 2012 champion Chris Selfridge, the reigning North of Ireland champion, back from University in Toledo to chase the coveted trophy again.

The romantics may fancy a flutter on reinstated former European Tour player Stephen Browne from Hermitage, who is making what he says will be a one-off championship comeback today.

Now 40, he hasn’t played a 72 hole event since he quit the tour after the 2008 Kazakhstan Open.