No joy for Purcell in Spanish Challenge
Conor Purcell. ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
Portmarnock's Conor Purcell had to settle for a tie for 24th after closing with a disappointing 78 in the Challenge de España in Cadíz.
The former Walker Cup star (24) went into the final round at Iberostar Real Club de Golf Novo Sancti Petri tied for second with eventual winner Jens Dantorp on four-under-par, one stroke behind Spain's Victor Pastor as he bid to become the first Irish winner on the Challenge Tour since Simon Thornton won in St Omer in 2013.
But while he birdied the par-five second, he dropped five shots in four holes from the seventh and made two birdies, four bogeys and two double-bogey sevens in a six-over round to finish 12 shots behind the Swede on two-over-par.
“I had a solid first six holes really and then just lost some momentum on seven,” Purcell said “It’s a very tricky course when you start making bogeys. It feels a lot tougher but overall it was a solid week.”
Jens Dantorp. Picture: Getty Images
Dantorp closed with a six-under-par 66 to secure a three-stroke victory over Pastor, who shot 70, as countryman Mikael Lindberg finished third on five-under-par.
Purcell picked up €2,200 to lie 127th in the Road to Mallorca standings heading to Scotland for this week's Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A at Newmachar Golf Club, where he joins James Sugrue, Tom McKibbin, Paul Dunne, Gavin Moynihan and John Murphy.
Dantop’s last victory came at the Ras Al Khaimah, 2017 Golf Challenge and having lost his DP World Tour playing privileges in 2018, is pleased to be coming through a difficult period on the course.
“I can’t describe it, it’s been such a long time since I did this,” he said. “It’s been a struggle for a few years and I’m very, very pleased to be stood here with the win again.
“It’s been tough. From playing pretty well on the DP World Tour in 2018, after my third place at the Scottish Open I just lost it really. I’ve struggled a bit mentally and that feels a lot better now.
“I’ve been working hard on that and I’m very thankful for my team. What the team has done for me, my mental coach, my performance coach, my wife, my swing coach, they’ve all been so supportive and I couldn’t have done this without them.”
The 2013 Rolex Trophy winner did not drop a shot over the weekend, carding 11 birdies, and he admits to being the welcome recipient of some good luck.
“It was my day today, I can admit that,” he said. “I was lucky a few times and holed some crazy shots as well. I also played some solid stuff as well so I’m very happy.
“The chip-in was a big, big bonus. I was staring at double bogey in the eye and I was targeting a bogey. I hit a perfect shot and I thought it was going to get pretty close but it went in and I was so happy.”
Frenchman Edgar Catherine finished in a tie for fifth place alongside Spain’s Eduardo De La Riva on three under par, while English duo John Parry and Jonathan Thomson, Switzerland’s Benjamin Rusch and Spaniard Ivan Cantero Gutierrez shared seventh place on two under par.
With his victory, Dantorp moves to sixth on the Road to Mallorca Rankings with 43,664 points, while runner-up Pastor goes straight onto the Rankings in 12th place, which are still led by South African JC Ritchie after his pair of victories earlier in the year.
