Hurley feels fair wind blowing on Alps Tour
Gary Hurley
West Waterford's Gary Hurley singled out his performance coach Ed Coughlan for praise after he secured his second top 10 finish of the season in the Alps Tour's New Giza Open in Egypt.
The 29-year old former Walker Cup star went into the final round in Cairo just two strokes off the lead, but while the final round was eventually scrapped due to high winds and the event reduced to 36 holes, he was thrilled with his performance as he bids to win a Challenge Tour card before heading to the DP World Tour Qualifying School.
"I was in a really good space this week and did some great reflection after the last event," said Hurley, who finished two shots behind Portugal's Tomas Bessa Guimaraes on 11-under after rounds of 68 and 65 to move up to 12th in the money list in the race for five Challenge Tour cards.
"I managed to have some good conversations with my coach Ed Coughlan and did some brilliant work to get myself into a better space to perform this week. A lot of positives to take into the next run of events."
Hurley was level par for the day after six holes and tied for second, two behind, when a four-club wind saw balls blown off greens and organisers opted to scrap the final round.
Naas' Jonathan Yates tied for 10th and Portmarnock's Conor Purcell, who is fourth in the Order of Merit, was tied 13th.
On the Challenge Tour, Kinsale's John Murphy had to settle for a tie for 18th on 14-under par in the Mangaung Open, seven strokes behind Denmark's Hundeboll, after he closed with a one-over 73 at Bloemfontein.
The Dane started the day five shots off the pace but carded seven birdies and just one bogey in a 66 in difficult conditions to record a one-shot victory over South African duo Luke Jerling and Tristen Strydom as Tom McKibbin tied for 49th on nine-under after a 69.
On the DP World Tour, China's Wu Ashun came from four strokes behind Scotland's Ewen Ferguson to claim his fourth DP World Tour title in the Magical Kenya Open presented by Absa.
The 36-year-old closed with a six-under 65 to win by four strokes from Germany's Hurly Long, South Africa's Thriston Lawrence and Canada's Aaron Cockerill on 16-under-par at Muthaiga in Nairobi.
Royal Dublin's Niall Kearney was the best of the Irish, tied for 34th on five-under after a 69 while Paul Dunne tied for 51st on one-under after a 70 with Jonny Caldwell tied 65th on three-over after a 73 and Cormac Sharvin joint 74th in six-over after a 70.
Meanwhile, Leona Maguire saved the best for last and closed with a final round 68 to finish tied 13th behind record-breaking world number one Jin Young Ko in the HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore.
The Co Cavan star made five birdies and a bogey on the Tanjong Course at Sentosa Golf Club to finish eight shots behind Korean star Ko on nine-under-par
"I think I just played a little better today," said Maguire, who moves on now to Thailand for this week's Honda LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club's Pattaya Old Course in Chonburi. "Greens are probably a little bit more receptive. Still feel like I wasn't quite at my best this week.
"It was good, but there was a lot of maybes that left a lot of putts out there. And a lot of birdies could have gone either way. But overall, it's nice to finish with the best round of the week and on the last day."
Ko claimed her sixth win in her last 10 LPGA Tour starts and sets two new records after closing with a six-under 66 to win by two shots from Korean compatriots Minjee Lee and In Gee Chun on 17-under par.
Her 66 was her 15th consecutive round in the 60s — a new LPGA record— and her 30th consecutive round under par.
On the Asian Tour, Waterford’s Kevin Phelan closed with a two-under 70 and finished 67th on five-under in the International Series Thailand at Black Mountain Golf Club.
American Sihwan Kim shot 63 to win by two shots on 26-under par from Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai.
