Amateur golfBrian KeoghAustralian Amateur Championship, Conor Purcell

Purcell to put the "foot down" in Australian Amateur final

Amateur golfBrian KeoghAustralian Amateur Championship, Conor Purcell
Purcell to put the "foot down" in Australian Amateur final
Portmarnock Golf Club’s Conor Purcell. Picture: Pat Cashman

Portmarnock Golf Club’s Conor Purcell. Picture: Pat Cashman

Portmarnock’s Conor Purcell plans to attack from the start and make as many birdies as he can when he faces local hope Nathan Barbieri in the 36-hole final of the Australian Amateur Championship in Melbourne tonight.

The 21-year old from Malahide beat Australian Kyle Michel 1 up in the quarterfinals and went on to produce a clutch finish to beat Germany's Michael Hirmer 1-up at Woodlands Golf Club in the afternoon, getting up and down for birdie at the 18th before watching his opponent miss from less that two feet to extend the match.

"It's a nice feeling right now," said Purcell, who lost to Robin Dawson in the semi-finals of last year's Amateur Championship and will be hoping to go even better when it's played at Portmarnock in June.

"It's going to sink in a little bit later. But still one more job to do tomorrow."

According to Golf Australia, Purcell led for much of another great contest but looked in trouble when his second to the par-five 18th finished right of the green and Hirmer found the green for an eagle try.

"The Irishman played a delicate bump shot to just outside a metre and later dropped his short birdie putt to heap the pressure on Hirmer.

"The German’s eagle try to win had finished less than 50cm (20 inches) from the cup and most in the generous gallery assumed they would head to the 19th to continue the battle.

"But there was soon an audible gasp from the crowd when Hirmer missed his short birdie try to hand Purcell the first final berth."

A relieved Purcell said: "It was nip and tuck the whole way. The most I got up was 2-up and he got back level on the back nine. I held a clutch putt on 16 from about six feet to keep it all square and then got up and down on the last to close it out.

"You need to remind yourself that this is why you practice and all nerves are there but if you can play with nerves, you're happy so it was good to pull it off and hole the putt."

He’s not fazed by the prospect of another two rounds at a course he’s grown to like.

"It's been a long week but adrenaline at this stage will pull us through and with good recovery tonight, we'll be ready to go in the morning,” he said. "There was a lot of good golf in our game and the crowds were enjoying it. It was good to have support."

As for his plans for the final, he said: "Just foot down from the get go and try and make as many birdies as we can and hang in there."

He felt he made the mistake of watching his opponent rather than concentrating on his own game in his quarter-final win over Michel, where he was three up with three to play but had to go to the 18th to close out his narrow win.

“I had a good game with Kyle out there today,” Purcell said. “We were both a little off at times but I managed to just pip him in the end.

“ I fell into the trap of playing my opponent the last few holes, let a few bogeys slip and was one up with one to play so it was nice to close it out.”

World No 346 Barbieri (21) was three down with four to play against German Jannik De Bruyn in their semi-final but came back to win on the par-five 18th as the visitor lost a ball off the tee and took five to find the green

“I was on the 14th tee thinking I was cooked,” Barbieri said. “I wasn’t hitting many good shots and I’d just come off three bogeys.“

“I just kept talking to [caddie] Jordie and I was definitely due to make some magic happen and play some good holes coming in, which I did, so I’m very proud of myself for not giving up.”

According to Golf Australia:

A win with a par on the 14th was followed by an absolutely lasered 3-wood second shot from 260m on the par-five 15th that clearly made De Bruyn think of what might happen as the lead was slashed to one.

A tense 16th was halved and De Bruyn’s miss to the short side of a left pin on the 17th couldn’t be overcome and another birdie was conceded to the Aussie, who was suddenly square.

“Then I hit a good drive so all the pressure was on him and unfortunately for Jannik, he hit two shots right,” Barbieri said of the final-hole drama.

“I had to hit one more good shot … and hit 6-iron from about 180m and that was it, really

“My heart is going really fast, but I’m pumped.

“It’s very satisfying. I know that I’ve been working hard and it’s awesome.”

The men’s final, to be played over 36 holes, is scheduled to start at 8.40am on Sunday (2140 on Saturday in Ireland) at Woodlands.