Conor Purcell’s quest to become the first Irishman since Raymond Burns in 1994 to win the Challenge Tour order of merit got off to a good start as he opened his Rolex Grand Final campaign with a bogey free round of 67.
Purcell who finished sixth at Club de Golf Alcanada last year on his debut appearance in the Grand Final lies in eighth place on five-under, five shots behind 20-year-old Spaniard Ayora Angel who fired a course record 62 to lead by one on ten-under from Rasmus Neergaard Petersen who lipped out on the 18th for a share of the course record.
Purcell was in cruise control for most of his round picking up four facile birdies on the par 5 first, seventh, eleventh and thirteenth. A disappointing three putt after driving the 289-yard par-4 15th hole didn’t take the Port d’Alcudia wind out of his sails and he responded with a birdie on 16 and a vital par save from the green side bunker on 17.
“In some senses I felt like I left a few out there but I didn’t feel like I had my best stuff as well. Played the par-5s really well and made most of my score, missed a couple coming in but solid day,” Purcell reflected.
“I think it was nice to bounce back having three putted the drivable par 4 and to follow it up with a birdie was nice and then a good save on 17, left it in the jaws on the last but yeah a good score to start out, four of them and I’ll be happy.”
As it stands, Neergaard Petersen is on course to rise from second to first in the Road to Mallorca Rankings but Purcell’s hopes of topping them are still very much alive.
The Portmarnock man could finish as the Number One should he win and John Parry finish no higher than third. Purcell could finish as low as third and still win the Rankings, but would need Parry to finish no higher than 22nd, Neergaard-Petersen to finish no higher than 11th and Hamish Brown to finish no higher than seventh.
“Any week you can shoot under par opening up is good, shooting five I am happy with that. Guys have gone low today but it’s about focusing on myself.”
Meanwhile, in the battle to break into the top-20 in the rankings, West Waterford man Gary Hurley was content with his opening round of 70 which leaves him in a share of 18th place in the 46-player field on two-under but he will likely need a top-2 finish to punch his return to the DP World Tour next season.
“Steady start, played pretty nice, left a few out there. Didn’t really hole much to be honest, I think it’s a good reflection of how I played,” said Hurley who teed off ranked 43rd in the season long race.
“There’s a good bit of wind, probably a two club wind. The greens are really soft so it’s not like links courses where you can run everything in left and right and everything runs up to the hole. But the weather was nice today so I can’t complain.
“It’s great to be here, it’s a nice chilled event only 46 players. In the practice round it felt really relaxing which is good and it helps me.”
Dermot McElroy admitted he could have been as low as five-under on his opening round but he had to settle for a one-over 73 to leave him in 41st position and under pressure to get back into contention to break into the top-20 and earn a maiden DP World Tour card.
The Ballymena is making his first Grand Final appearance and he had not hit a golf ball in five weeks before last Saturday following a freak football injury that tore ligaments in his wrist.
A double bogey on the par-5 7th and a dropped shot on the par-5 13th caused things to unravel for McElroy who had been two-under through six, but he was left frustrated by a stone cold putter.
“It was my own fault, I three putted on the first one for double and then the other one was a three putt again. Had an outside chance for birdie and rammed it six foot by and missed it.
“I played quite well today, putted terrible, putting is dreadful, could have easily been four or five under comfortably but was nice to be on the golf course again.
“If I play like that today and putt anywhere half decent I could shoot a low one. I was quite happy with my game today just disappointed with the score.”
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