Paul Dunne never really recovered from Thursday’s opening 77 and despite posting a day two level par 71, his six-over par total was three shots shy of the French cut.
The Greystones golfer arrived in Versailles to contest a 23rd event this year but it’s been a horrid season for the 2017 British Masters champ.
Dunne missed the cut in his opening two events of his 2019 season before settling down to play all four days in seven of next eight tournaments, including what still remains a season-best of third at the ISPA Handa World Super Six in Perth, Australia.
Sadly, since June’s BMW International Open Dunne has contested 13 events and making the cut in only two and including now missing the weekend rounds in his past five starts.
Dunne is lying 116th on the Race to Dubai and is now projected to drop to 118th and with the leading 115 at the close of next week’s event on the Algarve retaining full membership.
And while Dunne looks for a golfing miracle to turn around his disappointing form, good friend Gavin Moynihan could be headed for a Tour career-best result in Versailles.
Moynihan added a second round 69 to his opening 68 to move into a share of sixth place and in competing on the famed course for a first time in his pro career.
It is also only the third occasion in 22 main Tour events this year the 25-year old former double Irish Amateur champion has kick-started a Tour event with a pair of sub-70 scores.
Moynihan, who is lying well down in 162nd on the Race to Dubai, capped his round with three birdies and came close to winning a brand new BMW i8 for a hole in one, as he looks to now eclipse a season best of T11th in the very first event last December on the 2018/19 wraparound schedule.
This had to hurt 😫
Millimetres from a BMW i8 for @GavinMoynihan.#OpenDeFrance pic.twitter.com/IakXAzLXxh
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) October 18, 2019
“The conditions were tough out there but I managed to have a good few swings coming in, so very happy with my round,” he said.
“I’ve worked hard to get myself in a good position, so very much looking forward now the weekend.”
Atop of the board is the duo of Belgium’s big-hitting Nicolas Colsaerts, who reeled-off seven birdies in a five-under par 66, before being joined on nine-under par by South African George Coetzee in signing for a 68.
Colsaerts, 36 is not only looking to end a seven-year winless run in capturing just a third Tour title but the former Ryder Cup star is lying 114th on the Race to Dubai and only one place inside retaining full Tour membership.
“I feel very good how I played today as the conditions were hard when we started out with the front nine playing pretty difficult,” he said.
“It sorted calmed down a little bit on the back nine and I managed to hole a few long putts early that kind of momentum into the rest of the back nine.
“So, I am pretty happy with the way I have handled my first two rounds.”
American Kurt Kitayama signed for a 68 to remain in third place on eight-under par.
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