The Irishman Conor Purcell (-9) is the standout leader of the Black Desert NI Open once the second day has ended on the Galgorm Castle course, Northern Ireland. The playing conditions have not changed too much compared to Thursday, complicated by the wind, to the point that only thirteen players have managed to sign two cards below par.
Purcell has been one of them, of course (cards of 66 and 65 in this par 70). The Irishman, moreover, has only signed one bogey in the first 36 holes, a small feat. And another of the thirteen has been Álvaro Quirós (-3), the best-ranked Spaniard on a day that has not been too favourable for the interests of the Armada, as up to eight players have been cut and only two will accompany Quirós in the last two rounds: Ángel Ayora (PAR), who finished with a birdie on hole 9 to secure the cut, and Lucas Vacarisas (+1), who on the contrary ended his round with two bogeys, but who will finally be in the game.
Quirós will seek his first major result of the season on the Challenge Tour this week, in an attempt to earn a solid ‘job’ in top-level golf, as he, in principle, will not have many more opportunities to play this year on this circuit, unless he earns it on the field.
The Guadiaro native has played another very solid round of golf today, with fifteen pars on his card, two birdies and a solitary bogey, leaving some options on the way, but also saving delicate situations, to finish at the gates of the top ten and six strokes from a very prominent leader who will start tomorrow with a three-stroke lead over his immediate pursuers, the Dutchman Wil Besseling (-6), the Dane Jepe Kristian Andersen (-6) and the Swede Joakim Lagergren (-6).
This tournament in Northern Irish lands does not spare anyone, as the current Numbers 1 and 3 of the Road to Mallorca, the circuit ranking, the Dane Rasmus Neergaard Petersen (+3) and the Spaniard Joel Moscatel (+9) have been cut.
