Paul Dunne fails to build on momentum in South Africa

After a birdie-fest yesterday Paul Dunne came back down to earth, and the leaderboard, with a bump on Friday as a round puncutated by four bogeys saw him slip into a tie for 20th at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa.

Starting the day tied for the lead with Charl Schwartzel, the Greystones golfer will be disappointed that he couldn’t take the momentum from Thursday into the second round.

Starting on the 10th, Dunne dropped a shot at the 14th but immediately answered back with a birdie on the par five 15th and then a birdie two at the next.

Things seemed to be clicking into gear for the 23-year-old but a disappointing bogey six at the 18th was compounded by another dropped shot at the third.

Now one over for the day it was at that mark which he would finish as a birdie at the fourth was nullified by another frustrating bogey at the eighth.

That saw him sign for a 73 to sit six shots behind leader Branden Stone of South Africa in this, the first event of the 2017 European Tour season.

It was defending champion Schwartzel who set the early clubhouse target on 10 under after a second round 68 in his quest to seal a historic fifth title at Leopard Creek.

Starting his second round at the tenth tee, Schwartzel made consecutive gains at the 12th and 13th to take the outright lead.

After finishing his front nine with a birdie at the 18th, Schwartzel picked up another shot at the first.

He then holed his monster birdie putt at the fourth to get to 11 under before rolling in from 20 feet for another gain at the next.

But Schwartzel carded a double bogey at the seventh - his first blip of the tournament so far – to slip back to ten under, before safely parring his final two holes.

Schwartzel said: “Overall I think I played well. I gave myself a fair amount of chances and made some nice bonus putts.

“The stroke’s feeling good, which makes me very comfortable.

“I mean I’m right up there. Maybe I can hit the ball a little bit better, maybe I can time it a little bit better.

“The game is not a game of perfection, so I’ve done well with what I’ve had so far.”

However, late in the day he was overtaken by Stone who birdied the 16th before finishing with a superb eagle at the 18th to fire a 66 and get to 11 under.

Michael Hoey is the next best of the Irish on four under after a 71 on Friday which included just six pars.

Seven birdies, four bogeys and a double added up to a round of one under for the man who is this year relying on sponsor’s invites after missing out on his tour card at qualifying school last month.

Jack Hume also failed to confirm his playing rights at PGA Catalunya and will have a weekend off this week after a disastrous 81 saw him finish well outside the cut mark on 10 over.

Alongside him is losing Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke after he added a 76 to his first round 78.