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 Castle 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 net the €73,776 (£61,396) 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 the Challenge Tour Grand Final remaining.
He’s the first new player from the Republic of Ireland to break into the world’s top 300 in the previous eight years, according to rankings guru Nosferatu, and 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 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,” admitted Purcell.
“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.”
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 Andalucia Masters in Sotogrande.
“Over the last putt, I was thinking of my kids, and they gave me the strength to get over the line,” Guerrier said.
Tom McKibbin fell to ninth in the race for 10 PGA Tour cards after a level-par 72 left him 43rd on seven-under.