Most of us first became aware of Paul Dunne at the 2015 Open when the Dubliner, then 22, found himself leading after three rounds. An understandably nervy last day put paid to his chances of becoming the first amateur since Bobby Jones to lift the Claret Jug; yet Dunne clearly took the positives, following it up with a composed Walker Cup performance just two months later.Dunne qualified for the 2016 European Tour, just about
keeping his card; but his recent victory at the British Masters confirmed an extremely promising follow-up season that included a playoff loss, a rise to 12th in the Race to Dubai and a place in the world’s top 100.Dunne’s stats suggest room for improvement in the long
TOUR TECHNIQUEPaul DunneLearn from the superior putting of a young Irishman basking in his breakthrough victorygame, but he excels on the greens. Here we examine his putting style, and how his trademark two-thumb grip has helped him to the top of the Putts per GIR stat on the European Tour.FaultFixer
Posture retainedPaul is tracking the ball’s journey, but note he has not lifted up to do so; he has allowed his head to rotate. This is important as the motion of lifting up to track the ball can easily compromise the path of the stroke. To improve here, hit putts with your head resting against a wall. Make sure it stays against the wall through impact, but allow your head to rotate.Hands-freeHis elbows are comfortably flexed, allowing an absence of tension that reveals itself in a generally ‘soft’ look to his arm muscles. But also see how his forearms are in line with the shaft, while the tops of his arms are resting against his chest. Both positions are ideal for taking the hands out of the stroke, letting Paul control the action with his bigger muscles.