Purcell makes late birdie to join Hoey and Sugrue in making Swedish cut
Bjorn Hellgren. Picture: Getty Images
Portmarnock’s Conor Purcell birdied the last to join James Sugrue and Michael Hoey in making the cut in the mark in the Challenge Tour’s Dormy Open in Sweden.
The Dubliner (23) rifled a six-iron 210 yards over water to 16 feet to set up a two-putt birdie at the par-five 18th and card a one-under 71 to make the last two rounds on the one-under cut mark.
Hoey shot 71 and Sugrue had five birdies in a 69, including three in five holes at the end of his front nine, to also make the cut at water-strewn Österåkers Golfklubb near Stockholm.
Sweden’s Bjorn Hellgren shot 65 to lead by three shots on 14-under from France’s Felix Mory but the rest of the Irish missed the cut.
Holywood’s Tom McKibbin (18) shot 75 and Gavin Moynihan a 77 to miss out on three-over with a rusty Robin Dawson well back on 16-over after a 79.
Hellgren (30) reached 14 under par after 36 bogey-free holes to move three strokes clear of Mory, who is second on 11 under par after posting a Challenge Tour career-best eight under par round of 64 on day two.
The Swede entered day two just a shot behind overnight leader Matteo Manassero and continued his good form from the opening day to move himself into position to contend for his maiden European Challenge Tour title.
“It was a good day out there,” he said. “I felt like the wind was trickier today, but I caught a good few breaks, so I am very happy with my score here.
“I’d say my approach play to the greens is definitely my strongest point, my putting is also good, today I missed a few greens, but I made up for them so that’s good.
“Today I was just trying to put the ball in play from the tee and then hit big areas on the greens. I didn’t really think about the score, but then when I got to three or four under, I just thought I’ve got to keep going, I’ve got to keep going.”
Sweden’s Hampus Bergman, Frenchman Victor Riu and Finland’s Roope Kakko share third place on ten under par in Sweden, while three-time Challenge Tour winner Ricardo Gouveia and Sweden’s Marcus Svensson share sixth place on eight under par after both posted six under par rounds of 66 on day two.
Five players are a shot further back in a tie for eighth place on seven under par, including four-time European Tour winner Marcel Siem and fellow German Alex Knappe, who bounced back from an opening round of 73 with a sublime eight under par 64.
It was a day to remember for Chase Hanna, of the United States, as the 26-year-old recorded his first Challenge Tour hole-in-one when he aced the par three 11th hole on his way to posting a three under par round of 69.
