Purcell in the mix as Min Woo Lee heads Scott by one in Brisbane
Conor Purcell. Photo by Carl Fourie/Sunshine Tour
Portmarnock's Conor Purcell moved into the mix with a super 67 as Australia's Min Woo Lee took a one-shot lead into the weekend at the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane.
The Australian, a two-time DP World Tour winner, followed his opening 65 with a 66 to lead on 12-under par from compatriot Adam Scott.
Purcell (26) is tied for 21st on four-under after he made eight birdies and four bogeys in a four-under 67.
"I putted lovely today, which was nice," said Purcell, who missed out on his DP World Tour card at the Qualifying School Final Stage. "I gave myself plenty of looks all day, so hopefully there's more of the same for the weekend."
The Dubliner made four birdies and three bogeys on the front nine at Royal Queensland but steadied the ship on the back nine.
Birdies at the 11th, 12th and 15th saw him go to four-under for the tournament and while he dropped a shot at the par-three 17th, he birdied the 18th to come home in 32 for his 67.
"It's my first time here and the greens are very tricky," he said. "They are small and slopey, so it's important to be on the right side.
"I always love coming down to Oz and getting to compete, so I'm really looking forward to the weekend."
Galgorm's Tom McKibbin carded a second successive, level par 71 to make the cut on the mark.
But he will have been frustrated to drop two late shots for the second day running.
Two-over after his first five holes in round two, he made four birdies in a nine-hole stretch in the middle of his round but bogeyed his 16th and 17th holes.
But there was no luck for Kilkenny rookie Mark Power, who followed a 69 with a 75 to miss the cut on two-over.
After going to the turn in one over, he dropped two early shots at the first and second on his back nine and while he needed a birdie four at the ninth to make the weekend, he made six instead to miss out by two shots.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 24: during day two of the 2023 Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club on November 24, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
As for Lee, he built on his opening round of 65 to set the pace in front of home crowds with four birdies in a flawless front-nine 32 in windy conditions.
His first mistake came at the tenth, but he recovered with birdies at the 13th and 15th before getting up and down for pars on the last three holes.
"Just hit a couple of bad swings on the last three holes, but overall, really happy with the way I went," Lee said.
"Very solid and kept doing the right things. Today was a bit more shaky than yesterday, but felt like I've made up and down when I needed to.
"Yeah, again, you've got to be smart and aggressive when you can. So this course, sometimes it does make you play a bit more aggressive and that's where it bites you.
"So it's a course where you just have to play with your brain and just attack the pin from the right spots."
Set to be paired with Scott in round three, he added: “It’s amazing. Only a few years ago I was dreaming to be in this spot, especially to play with Scotty.
"It seems only like a few years ago I was in the Interstate Series watching him winning the Masters."
Scott shot a best-of-the-day, bogey-free 65, doing all his scoring in the first 12 holes before grinding out six closing pars.
"It all felt pretty good," said the two-time champion. "I mean, in these conditions, that's good stuff. I felt comfortable tee through the green today.
"There were a couple of holes there on the back, 13 and 14, that were kind of huge for the round, just to keep it going because the birdies weren't easy at the end, obviously.
"I'm really pleased with the way the game feels. And that's positive going into the weekend.”
Australia’s John Lyras is just two shots off the lead in third on 10-under after a 67 while overnight leader Joel Moscatel of Spain followed his opening 63 with a 71 to share fourth on eight-under with Lucas Herbert and Curtis Luck.
