Conor Purcell wants to become the first Irishman to top the Challenge Tour rankings for 30 years after clinching his DP World Tour card with an impressive four-shot win in the Hangzhou Open.
After claiming his maiden win in July’s NI Open at Galgorm in Ballymena to edge closer to securing one of 20 DP World Tour cards, the Portmarnock star (27) completed the job in style at West Lake International Golf and Country Club.
Tied for the 54-hole lead with Ben Schmidt, he made six birdies in a four-under-par 67 to claim the €73,776 winner’s cheque from Spaniard Angel Ayora, England’s Jack Senior and Finland’s Oliver Lindell on 18-under and leap from 12th to fourth in the Road to Mallorca standings with only next week’s Challenge Tour Grand Final remaining.
He’s the first new player from the Republic of Ireland to break into the world’s top 300 since Paul Dunne in 2016, according to rankings guru Nosferatu, he’s set his sights on becoming the first Irishman to top the Challenge Tour rankings since Raymie Burns in 1994.
“I’ll be playing the final on Grand Final in two weeks,” Purcell said of his plans. “So I’ll try to get another win there and top the rankings, if I can, then reassess and set some new goals for next year and try to win out there (on Tour) too.”
As Schmidt faded with a 73, Purcell made a hat-trick of birdies from the seventh before recovering from bogeys at the 11th and 13th with three birdies in his last four holes.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Purcell, who is projected to move to 280th in the world today, “Getting the first one was special in front of the home crowd, and I couldn’t have asked for a better second one with so many people watching what has been an amazing event.”
The top 20 in the final rankings win promotion to the DP World Tour and with the top 10 getting stronger cards than those ranked from 11th to 20th, Purcell is looking forward to next week’s finale in Mallorca.
“It’s nice to win one of the elevated events before the Grand Finals, so I can go over there and enjoy a little bit more,” said Purcell, who follows in the footsteps of his father, Joey, the former Portmarnock head professional who played on the European Tour in the ’70s and ’80s.
“I’m definitely going to celebrate because these wins don’t come around too often. I’m having my family over in Mallorca and really looking forward to it.”
It was also a memorable day for France’s Julien Guerrier (38), who ended his 19-year wait for a maiden DP World Tour win by beating Spain’s Jorge Campillo in a record-equalling nine-hole play-off at the Estrella Damm Andalucía Masters in Sotogrande.
Guerrier holed a clutch 16-foot par putt on the 18th to join his playing partner at 21 under par before holing from eight feet for a ninth successive par on the ninth tie hole for a long-awaited win.
“Over the last putt, I was thinking of my kids, and they gave me the strength to get over the line,” Guerrier said. “It’s been a long wait and I’m very emotional right now.”
Tom McKibbin fell to ninth in the race for ten PGA Tour cards after a level par 72 left him 43rd on seven-under.