Conor Purcell could seal his promotion to the DP World Tour in style on Sunday after a moving day 67 pushed him into a share of the lead at the Hangzhou Open.
Purcell birdied two of his last four holes to climb to fourteen-under-par alongside England’s Ben Schmidt and the pair are two clear of the chasing pack.
The Portmarnock man began the week 12th in the Road to Mallorca Rankings but is now projected to rise to 4th ahead of the Grand Final on October 31.
The top-45 will advance to Mallorca with the top-20 earning DP World Tour cards.
Purcell has been assured of his card for some time now but finishing inside the top-10 will give him a stronger DP World Tour status and the 27-year-old can also put himself in a position to become the first Irishman to win the Road to Mallorca since Raymie Burns in 1994.
The 2019 Walker Cupper started his third round well with four birdies in a front nine of 33 and after dropping shots on the 4th, 10th and 13th he managed to roll in birdies on 11, 15 and 17 to hit the front.
Gary Hurley and Jonathan Caldwell both missed the cut meaning it will be a nervous wait for Hurley on the top-45 bubble at 41st in the Road to Mallorca Rankings while Caldwell’s season comes to an end.
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