Dunne and Hoey rekindle the magic
GEORGE, SOUTH AFRICA - MAY 06: Michael Hoey during day 1 of the 2021 Dimension Data Pro-Am at Fancourt Country Club on May 06, 2021 in George, South Africa. (Photo by Carl Fourie/Gallo Images)
PAUL DUNNE fired his lowest round for two and a half years to surge into contention at the Canary Islands Championship in Tenerife as Michael Hoey shot the second-lowest round of his career in South Africa.
The Greystones star (28) rattled in eight birdies in a six-under 65 to share sixth place, just three shots behind Italy's Francesco Laporta at Golf Costa Adeje as Hoey's nine-under 63 left him a shot off the pace in the Challenge Tour's Dimension Data Pro-Am.
"I just hit the ball better," said Dunne, who hasn't had a top-10 finish for two years after losing his card and undergoing wrist surgery in 2019.
"I didn't get off to a great start again,” added the Wicklow man, who’s missed four of five cuts this year. “Starting on 10 is a difficult par-three and I hit a really nice three-iron that went through the green and made a bogey from nowhere and thought, here we go again.
"But then I started to just string just a few good swings together, which I haven't done the last few weeks. I've been working hard at it, but my timing has been a little bit off. My sequencing and everything looks like it's in a good place. I just can't find a rhythm to play with it.
"But then I found it five or six holes in, and I ran with it for the day and hit a lot of really consistent shots. I hope I wake up tomorrow morning and it feels the same."
Laporta made an eagle and eight birdies, dropping just one shot in a nine-under 62 to lead by a shot from Spain's Scott Fernandez while Royal Dublin's Niall Kearney was 38th after a three-68.
Francesco Laporta. Picture: Getty Images
Holywood’s Tom McKibbin (18) finished with a double-bogey to share 54th with Cormac Sharvin after a 69 with Jonathan Caldwell 74th after 70.
“My game was pretty good today and I played well, and I was just a bit unfortunate at the last in hitting my tee shot short right and behind a tree where I had to take an unplayable,” said McKibbin (18).
“Aside from that, the first 17 holes were perfect and I can’t really complain. The game overall was better today than last week.“
The Co Down starlet started with a bogey at the 10th but then birdied the 11th and 12th and made a 30 footer for eagle at the 13th after hitting who started with a bogey at the 10th but then birdied the 11th and 12th and made a 30 footer at the 13th for eagle before picking up another shot at the 18th to turn in 32.
“I just felt more comfortable and relaxed today compared to last week. I also did a lot of hard work over the weekend and it was nice to see my game better and start out with a good score.”
As for Hoey, the Ballymoney man (42) had low expectations after missing the cut in the Limpopo Championship and the Cape Town Open. But he was deadly on the greens and brilliant with his wedges as he carded an eagle and seven birdies in bogey-free, nine-under 63 on Fancourt's Outeniqua course—the second-lowest round of his career — to lie one stroke behind England's Ryan Evans in the Dimension Data Pro-Am.
"I haven’t had great expectations in South Africa because I haven’t really played for a year,” Hoey revealed “When they keep the categories last year, I thought, what’s the point. So I almost went into retirement… well I basically retired. I am not saying officially but I lost interest and got a job and with the financial certainty of the tour, the PGA Tour alliance has helped out a lot.
“I was on the board for a few years and I thought, is there going to be money there? What’s the point in playing? Also, I am 42 now as well so I had all these factors and I’m thinking, am I going to play, what am I going to do?
Ryan Evans during day 1 of the 2021 Dimension Data Pro-Am at Fancourt Country Club on May 06, 2021 in George, South Africa. (Photo by Carl Fourie/Gallo Images)
“So Jamie Hodges and the Sunshine Tour have done very well to get these (three) events on. April is an unusual time of year but I thought, I am going to go down to South Africa and enjoy it. I've always enjoyed South Africa. I made some outrageous putts and hit my wedges close."
Gavin Moynihan was 65th after making six birdies in a rollercoaster 71 at Outeniqua as Richard O'Donovan shot 78 at Montagu.
Evans used inspiration from 18-time Major Champion Jack Nicklaus as he posted a blistering ten under par round of 62 to take a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the Dimension Data Pro-Am.
The Englishman carded 11 birdies and a single bogey to lead by one from five-time European Tour winner Michael Hoey at Fancourt Golf Estate as both men took full advantage of their early starts on the Outeniqua course, traditionally the most scoreable circuit at the venue.
The 34-year-old recently spent time with 18-time Major Champion and former World Number One Nicklaus at his home in Florida and, since the impromptu meeting, Evans has a different outlook on his profession.
“I asked him ‘what would be your favourite ever golf course?’ and he said: ‘I loved every single golf course I played’,” Evans said.
“He said you have to go to every event and love every venue because you’re there to win, there’s no point complaining about conditions or complaining about the state of the course because every course you go to is the best course you’re going to play. Again, I just went out there and said, ‘let’s enjoy what I do and play some golf’.
“There’s definitely a smile back on my face compared to the last couple of weeks so I’m looking forward to the rest of the week.
“I know my game isn’t far away and over the last couple of weeks there were parts of it that were really good and parts of it that were off. It’s just a case of putting it all together, like a jigsaw.”
