Irish starlet Paul Dunne living the dream after sensational Open start at St Andrews

Paul Dunne may only be 22 but he already has his barstool bragging rights lined up for old age, after an opening round at St Andrews which saw him briefly stand atop The Open leaderboard.

Not bad for an amateur at the home of golf, who will begin today’s second round on the Old Course as Ireland’s leading competitor after 18 holes.

Dunne, from Greystones and just out of the same University of Alabama-Birmingham that was once home to Graeme McDowell, outscored the former US Open champion and the rest of his more illustrious compatriots during a memorable day on the links.

He signed for a three-under 69 that leaves him four shots back from overnight leader Dustin Johnson, although at 7.15am yesterday as he strode to the third tee with back-to-back birdies on his card, he also had the satisfaction of seeing his name at the pinnacle of golf.

By day’s end, he was not even the leading amateur, Jordan Niebrugge of the United States enjoying that honour at five under, but Dunne will always be able to say he led the oldest major.

“It was cool to see it on the screen,” he said.

“It’s kind of a novelty thing for when I’m 70 years old, sitting in a bar, having a pint, maybe telling someone that I led The Open. Hopefully I can do it more times in the future but it was nice to get off to a birdie-birdie start, it just settled the nerves a bit.”

When he saw his name up in his lights, the Irishman who had come through qualifying for the second year in a row said: “My first thought was, ‘Is anyone at home going to take a picture of it on the computer screen and send it to me later?’

“But it was only two holes, so many people were going to birdie the first two so I went out with a number in my head, trying to shoot 68, I thought that would be a pretty good score out there but I’m pretty pleased with 69.” Pretty pleased should be treated as something of an understatement, particularly as Dunne, who had his UAB collegiate head coach Alan Murray, a former Greystones pro, on his bag, had not enjoyed the best of Open debuts at Royal Liverpool a year ago, missing the cut with rounds of 75 and 73 having admitted he been overawed by the occasion.

“I didn’t feel as much out of my comfort zone playing the practice rounds this year so I got to learn the course a lot better than I did last year.

“I used my practice rounds better, I got a strategy ready for the course in different conditions so I felt a lot more ready to go out in the the first round. Last year I felt a bit overwhelmed and didn’t really prepare my game that well, I was just kind of worried about who I was playing with.

“I got good practice rounds in, I hit it nicely in the practice rounds and got some nice compliments off people so it sort of settled me down and made me feel like I belong here.” Whether belonging includes being mistaken for Jordan Spieth is up for debate but with a cap bearing the same logo as the Masters and US Open champion, Dunne managed to confuse a few fans of the all-conquering Texan.

“When I put my head down they just see the sign on the hat and I’ve had a few people ask me for autographs, and then they’re disappointed when I bring my head up.”