Hurley feeling happy in his own skin

Gary Hurley knows a double header on home soil is coming at a crucial period of the season as he bids to keep his DP World Tour promotion hopes alive.

Hurley is ranked 28th on the Challenge Tour Road to Mallorca Rankings with the top-20 earning DP World Tour cards in November’s Grand Final.

The West Waterford man boosted his hopes with a second place finish last month but has missed two of his last four cuts with his best finish a share of 45th place.

At the Black Desert NI Open the former Walker Cup star finds himself in a share of thirteenth place on four-under, one shot outside the top-10 and just three behind Hamish Brown in sixth and he knows he can maintain his push towards the top-20 with a final day push in Galgorm.

“I’m playing very nicely. I scrambled really well today but at the same time I felt like I hit so many good shots that were just a fraction left and in a bunker had to lay up or get up and down. Pushed one on 14 into the water, got up and down for bogey from 130 and on another day I’m six or seven under for the day,” said Hurley.

“Today I was most comfortable with my ball striking. Three birdies on the back nine and one on the front. The game is solid this course demands a lot from you I’m happy with how I’m playing and how I’m striking it.”

Hurley will head down the M1 towards the K Club for next week’s Irish Challenge in what will be the second of two defining tournaments for the Irish contingent on Europe’s second tier.

The 31-year-old lost his DP World Tour playing rights last year but he won’t let himself get bogged down in focusing on results.

“You can wake up feeling good and have the best warm up but you still don’t know. Just go with it and stay in the moment, commit to the process and allow what’s going to happen, happen.

“I have a saying, it’s going to be what it’s going to be and I’m going to be who I want to be on the golf course.

“I love this place, a fantastic golf course, the shape is brilliant and the layout is such a good golf course, it’s one of my favourite parklands in Ireland and it doesn’t get the credit it deserves. The greens are incredible, the food is amazing the support and set up is amazing and it will be the same next week at the K Club.

“The owners want to put on a good show and it’s a credit to them and we enjoy it.”