Conor Purcell held his nerve to say a maiden Problem Tour title within the Black Desert NI Open offered by Tom McKibbin at Galgorm, County Antrim, on Sunday.
The Irish golfer signed for a one over par closing spherical of 71 to complete 13 beneath par for the event, one stroke away from in a single day chief Joakim Lagergren on a dramatic closing day.
The 27-year-old climbs to fourth within the season-long Street to Mallorca Rankings with a win and was delighted to come back out on prime after going shot-for-shot with Lagergren throughout the whole thing of the weekend.
“I’m over the moon and form of misplaced for phrases,” he mentioned. “I’ve waited a very long time for this and for it to occur, with all my household out right here at the moment, is simply superb.
“The assist on the market calmed me down. Realizing that they had been all there to assist me made a distinction.
“Joakim is a fierce competitor and a confirmed winner, and he’s gained right here earlier than, so I knew to not take him calmly. I’m simply happy as a result of I putted terribly at the moment however I managed to get the job accomplished.”
Purcell began the day one stoke behind Lagergren, however after mixing two birdies with 5 bogeys on the entrance 9, made the flip looking for a spark to kick-start his spherical.
An eagle on the par 5 tenth did simply that, with Purcell becoming a member of Lagergren on the prime of the leaderboard, earlier than a dropped shot at gap 13 noticed him one adrift with 5 holes to play.
Purcell then birdied the fifteenth, and when Lagergren bogeyed the identical gap, a two-shot swing noticed Purcell transfer into the solo lead for the primary time on the ultimate day, earlier than he parred his approach residence for a memorable victory.
“On 18, it was the calmest I felt all day”
“I knew it was going to be powerful however that there have been possibilities on the again 9,” he added. “It was a giant momentum swing once I held the putt on the tenth for eagle.
“I missed an opportunity on 14 to get again degree, however made a pleasant birdie to go one forward on 15 after which performed actually good golf coming in.
“On 18, it was the calmest I felt all day. After just a few unfastened pictures at the beginning of the day, I received into the circulation of issues and felt very in management and knew the job I needed to do.
“Each time you possibly can have a win, you possibly can shoot up the Rankings, however there’s nonetheless a variety of golf to play over the remainder of the yr.”
Englishman Jack Senior posted a 3 beneath par spherical of 67 to complete in third, with Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist two pictures additional again in fourth. Dane Hamish Brown and South African Robin Williams completed in a share of fifth on eight beneath par.
Purcell now fourth in Street to Mallorca rankings
Purcell climbs 20 locations to fourth within the Street to Mallorca Rankings on 683 factors, whereas Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen stays in pole place on 1,061 factors. Englishman John Parry sits second on 1,007, and Spaniard Joel Moscatel stays in third place on 870 factors.
The Street to Mallorca continues subsequent week with the Irish Problem going down at The Ok Membership in Co Kildare from August 1-4.
Choose scores after spherical 4 with Irish gamers in daring:
267 C PURCELL 66 65 65 71,268 J LAGERGREN (SWE) 63 71 61 73,269 J SENIOR (ENG) 67 69 66 67,271 R SCIOT-SIEGRIST (FRA) 65 71 65 70,272 R WILLIAMS (RSA) 69 69 67 67, H BROWN (DEN) 69 68 66 69,273 L BJERREGAARD (DEN) 68 68 70 67, A QUIROS (ESP) 68 69 67 69, P PINEAU (FRA) 69 66 67 71,274 R MCGOWAN (ENG) 68 72 67 67, A HALVORSEN (NOR) 72 69 66 67,275 J FREIBURGHAUS (SUI) 72 69 68 66, O GUILLAMOUNDEGUY (FRA) 67 69 72 67, A CHESTERS (ENG) 68 72 66 69, W BESSELING (NED) 70 64 71 70, T HUNT (WAL) 67 69 68 71,276 M LINDBERG (SWE) 68 72 71 65, M GIBOUDOT (FRA) 73 68 67 68, L VAN MEIJEL (NED) 71 70 66 69,
281 G HURLEY (IRL) 67 70 69 75,282 J CALDWELL 70 71 71 70,
