Conor Purcell came storming up the leaderboard on day two of the Italian Challenge and the Portmarnock man heads into the weekend in fifth place and just three off the lead.
Starting on the 10th, Purcell birdied five of the opening nine as he covered the back side in just 31 strokes, and added another pair of birdies on two and six to get to -7 for the day. He’d birdie the eighth as well, but it was sandwiched between bogeys as he dropped back to -8 overall but despite the dropped shot at the last, he was more than satisfied with his day’s work.
“Yeah, very pleased,” he said afterwards. “It’s always annoying to bogey the last, but I was very solid all day, gave myself loads of chances, converted a few and still left a few out there.
“I holed a nice put on the 18th, which was my ninth, and that was a decent length, probably 25 ft up a tier, but I also missed a four-footer on 16 for birdie as well. So, got some, missed some, solid day.”
Since winning the Black Desert NI Open at Galgorm back in late June, his form has taken a slight dip, but as he looks to reignite his charge for promotion to the DP World Tour, he’s also got some home comforts on the road as his parents are joining him for a couple of weeks.
“Yeah, it’s nice this time of year,” he explained. “Can get a bit monotonous coming out and playing week to week, so it’s nice to just have family out and take our mind off golf and get back in the mix again over the weekend.
“My results haven’t been great the last few weeks, but definitely felt like the game has been trending in a nice direction.
“So, yeah, good to put some scores on the board.”
But Purcell wasn’t the only Irishman to have a good day, as Gary Hurley covered his 16 holes in -4 and moves into a tie for 12th at five-under. Play was suspended for darkness before he could finish his round, and he’ll return on Saturday morning to complete the final two holes.
Conor O’Rourke and Ronan Mullarney are both on -1, currently set to make the cut on the number, but O’Rourke is in the clubhouse at that number, while Mullarney has five holes yet to complete.
Jonathan Caldwell (+2), Dermot McElroy and Cormac Sharvin (+4), and John Ross Galbraith (+5) are all set to miss the cut.
Sam Hutsby impressed for the second straight day to open up a two-stroke lead at the halfway stage.
The Englishman carded a four under par round of 67 on day two to move to 11 under par for the week, two clear of Spaniard Joel Moscatel, Englishman John Parry and Frenchman Oihan Guillamoundeguy who will conclude his second round on Saturday after play was suspended due to darkness.
Hustby, who will go in search of a third Challenge Tour title over the weekend, was delighted with his putting across the opening 36 holes in Tuscany.
“I’m very pleased with my two days of play,” he said. “It’s been bubbling over the last few weeks, but nothing has come together.
“I putted really nicely to capitalise on the chances I was giving myself, and that’s something I haven’t been doing the last few weeks.
“I think my game plan at the minute has been pretty good, I’ve been hitting the ball nicely and the putter has been pretty hot.
“You just never know in this game, but I’ll have everything crossed and hope I can keep playing this kind of golf.”
Hustby started the day one off the lead, but four birdies in a seven-hole stretch on his front nine saw him climb in front for the first time, before he mixed one birdie with his only bogey of the day on the back nine.
The 35-year-old currently sits just outside the Road to Mallorca promotion places in 27th and is hoping a strong outing over the weekend can boost his chances of graduation to golf’s Global Tour.
“I love being in this position and I’m looking forward to the challenge of the weekend,” he added. “It’s what we play for, but it doesn’t happen too often.
“We’ve only got a few events left this season and I know I’m just outside the promotion places so I need a good week somewhere. With this being one of the biggest events we’ve played so far, I’m happy I’ve put myself in this position, but I need to capitalise on that now.”
Spaniard Borja Virto, Portuguese Ricardo Santos and Purcell share fifth place on eight under par, with South African Justin Walters one shot further back in eighth.
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