Irish golfer Paul Dunne secured his first professional win on the European tour this weekend.
Overcoming stiff competition on the final day in the form of a rejuvenated Rory McIlroy, Dunne became the first Irish golfer to win the British Masters since Christy O'Connor Jr. in 1992 - Dunne was a few months shy of being born back then.
In what is quickly becoming a regular feature in the aftermath of major Irish sporting success, Dunne was talking to Second Captains yesterday.
Where Galway's Johnny Glynn had sounded like a man who had earnestly embraced their All-Ireland's celebrations when speaking on the podcast, Dublin's Kevin McManamon, tempered perhaps on his fifth such celebration, was altogether more measured.
Well, after spending a night with Shane Lowry, Padraig Harrington and host of Irish caddies, Dunne seemed keen to enjoy this landmark win:
Shane Lowry waited around for me and gave me a lift up, so I drove up with my caddy Darren and Shane.
Then we went out for a few beers with a couple of other Irish golfers and caddies, so Harrington came out and some of the other Irish caddies.
It was a quiet enough night, not much happening on a Sunday evening but, ya ... I was really grateful to have all the other Irish contingent up there to celebrate with me.
However quiet a night it was, Dunne conceded that he felt the effects of the celebrations when he 'woke up [yesterday] morning.'
After shooting a memorable 61 to seal the British Masters, focus will now turn toward what opportunities this success enables - although Dunne hasn't had time to process that just yet:
This tournament will open up doors for me. I don't know exactly what doors to be honest because I was too busy having a few pints last night to look and get into the details of it.
But, I know it gets me into this World Golf Championship in China in a few weeks ... I think it also might get me into Firestone next year.
The Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone will evoke warm memories for fans of Irish golf, with both McIlroy (2014) and Lowry (2015) having previously claimed the lucrative prize in recent years.
With an increased number of Irish golfers featuring in European events over the coming weeks, Dunne is enjoying the camaraderie, and, with any luck, they will have plenty more reasons to celebrate sooner rather than later.
You can watch Dunne's seriously impressive closing shot of the Sunday's round below.
Until next year.#BritishMasters pic.twitter.com/w0uXzBWbVS
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) October 2, 2017
