Purcell gets hot Down Under to make cut on pro debut
Conor Purcell. Picture: MGA
Conor Purcell took advantage of a blistering start and made seven birdies in a five-under 67 to make the cut with ease on his professional debut in the AVJennings NSW Open.
The Dubliner (22) opened with a 74 at a firm and fast Twin Creeks Golf and Country Club near Sydney but came out with all guns blazing last night.
Starting on the back nine, he birdied the 10th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 16th and 17th to turn in six-under 30, picked up another shot at the fourth but then bogeyed the par-three sixth and plugged under the lip of a bunker on the ninth and finished with a bogey six.
"I knew going out I’d need at least four-under to make it so it was nice to capitalise on good conditions," said the former South of Ireland and Australian Amateur Open champion, who is tied for 34th on three-under.
"I got hot early on and I was six-under after nine. Overall my putting was the highlight. I holed some clutch 10-15 footers early on my back nine to save pars, drove it well and hit my wedges close.
"I got stymied in the greenside bunker on the par-five ninth, my 18th. Plugged in the face and made 6, but overall it was a great day. It's nice to have some work on my first weekend!"
Scoring was red-hot and Andrew Dodt set a course record, 11-under par 61 to lead by a shot on 14-under par from Min Woo Lee, who also shot 67 with overnight leader Josh Younger third on 11-under.
