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22-year-old Paul Dunne is having an incredible run at the Open. The amateur golfer is on top of the leaderboard after three rounds of play at St. Andrews.
Dunne is tied with Jason Day and Louis Oosthuizen at 12 under par as we head into the final round. The Irishman has been paired with Oosthuizen on the final day.
Here are 5 things that you need to know about the youngster:
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He just about made it to the Open this year
Dunne shot 65 at a qualifying tournament in Woburn to qualify for the Open. He arrived with just a minute left for his tee-off time during the qualifying tournament.
“It’s not like I slept in and got to the course late. I was at the course in plenty of time. I’d warmed up, I’d hit balls, hit some putts. I had an 8.15 tee-time and I knew there was a shuttle service from the clubhouse to the 10th tee so I arrived at the clubhouse at about 8 o’clock but I didn’t realise that the shuttle to the 10th tee took ten minutes.
And then when I got there at 8, the shuttle didn’t come for five minutes. And then I asked them how long does it take to get there and they said 10 minutes so that’s when I started to sweat a little bit. But luckily when I got out of the van there was a starter looking at the van asking if there was a Paul Dunne there, so I was lucky to get there at 8.14 and get going.”
He missed the cut at last year’s Open with scores of 75 and 73 in the opening two rounds.
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His caddie is his college coach
Alan Murray (left), Paul Dunne’s coach
Dunne’s coach is Alan Murray, who was the golf coach at University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB), where Dunne graduated from this April.
“Paul has been spectacular all week and continues to show his class on and off the golf course. It’s an Open at St. Andrews, so it feels special the moment you walk on the grounds at the start of the week. Sheer pride and enjoyment is what I have had all week being able to share the entire experience with him and his family. I feel very lucky,Alan told aI.com.
Dunne is planning to turn pro later this year.
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Had good outing in juniors
Dunne had an impressive run at junior level in Ireland. He won the Irish Youths Amateur Championship in 2010, previous winners include Louis Oosthuizen (2010 Open champion) and Padraig Harrington (2007 and 2008 Open champion).
He went to Blackrock college before going to UAB.
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He is older than Jordan Spieth
Talented American golfer Jordan Spieth, who won the Masters and US Open this year was born on July 23, 1993. Dunne was born on November 26,1992.
Tom Morris is the youngest British Open champion when he won the title in 1868 at the age of 17. Post 1900, Seve Ballesteros is the youngest when he won the 1979 Open at 22 years, 3 months and 12 days old.
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No amateur has won the Open since 1930
The last amateur to win the Open was Bobby Jones in 1930. Infact, Johhny Goodman was the last amateur was the last person to win any Major, the 1933 US Open.
Dunne has a chance to make history come Monday at the Open.
