Conor Purcell showcased remarkable composure to secure his first Challenge Tour title at the Black Desert NI Open, presented by Tom McKibbin, held at Galgorm.
The Irish golfer delivered a steady one-over-par final round of 71, ending the week at 13 under par.
This triumph placed him one stroke ahead of overnight leader Joakim Lagergren, culminating in a dramatic finale in Co. Antrim.
Purcell’s victory propels him to fourth in the season-long Road to Mallorca Rankings, marking a significant milestone in his career.
Reflecting on his performance, the 27-year-old expressed his elation: “I’m over the moon and kind of lost for words.
I’ve waited a long time for this and for it to happen, with all my family out here today, is just amazing.
The support out there calmed me down. Knowing that they were all there to support me made a difference.”
Facing off against Lagergren, a seasoned competitor with a history of success at Galgorm, Purcell remained undeterred.
Despite struggling with his putting, he managed to secure the win. “Joakim is a fierce competitor and a proven winner, and he’s won here before, so I knew not to take him lightly.
I’m just pleased because I putted terribly today but I managed to get the job done,” he added.
Starting the day one stroke behind Lagergren, Purcell’s front nine was a mixed bag of two birdies and five bogeys, leaving him needing a spark.
That spark came in the form of an eagle on the par-five tenth hole, bringing him level with Lagergren.
A dropped shot on the 13th hole saw him fall one behind again, but a birdie on the 15th hole, coupled with a bogey from Lagergren, gave Purcell a decisive lead.
“I knew it was going to be tough but that there were chances on the back nine,” Purcell said.
“It was a big momentum swing when I held the putt on the tenth for eagle. I missed a chance on 14 to get back level but made a nice birdie to go one ahead on 15 and then played really good golf coming in.”
The closing stretch saw Purcell maintain his lead with composed play, particularly noting his calm demeanour on the 18th hole.
“On 18, it was the calmest I felt all day. After a few loose shots at the start of the day, I got into the flow of things and felt very in control and knew the job I had to do.
Every time you can have a win, you can shoot up the Rankings, but there’s still a lot of golf to play over the rest of the year,” he concluded.
Englishman Jack Senior finished third with a commendable three-under-par round of 67, while Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist claimed fourth place, two shots behind Senior.
Dane Hamish Brown and South African Robin Williams shared fifth place, finishing at eight under par.
This victory has significantly boosted Purcell’s standings in the Road to Mallorca Rankings, climbing 20 places to fourth with 683 points.
Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen remains in the lead with 1,061 points, followed by Englishman John Parry with 1,007 points and Spaniard Joel Moscatel in third with 870 points.
The Road to Mallorca continues next week with the Irish Challenge at The K Club from August 1-4.
