‘It's just about staying patient' – Conor Purcell sees good things ahead after solid rounds at Soudal Open
While he had back-to-back top-20 finishes in China in April, the Portmarnock rookie (27) has missed seven of 11 cuts and needs to see more positive results.
He took a big step in that direction at the tree-lined Rinkven International in Antwerp, adding a 69 to his first-round 70 to share 21st on three-under at the halfway mark.
'My game actually feels a lot better than the results, and I think it's just about staying patient, knowing it's a long year and results will come if you just keep putting in the work,' said Purcell, who was eight shots behind Scotland's Ewen Ferguson.
'I feel like I'm starting to score relatively close to how I'm playing, and hopefully I can just push on.
'If I didn't have those two top 20s in China, I definitely would be more frustrated than I am. Knowing that the results are there, I know that the work I'm doing is good.'
Ferguson shot a course record-equalling 64 to lead by three shots from England's Marco Penge, who shot 68, on 11-under.
But if Purcell was guaranteed weekend work in Antwerp, Séamus Power was in danger of missing the cut in the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth.
The West Waterford man shot an excellent, bogey-free, three-under 67, but after opening with a 73, he was one shot outside the projected one-under cut line.
World number one Scottie Scheffler had 34 putts in a 71 that left him 10 shots behind early leader Ben Griffin, who shot 63, but he was safely through on one-under.
On the Ladies European Tour, rookies Anna Foster and Annabel Wilson made the final day at the Jabra Ladies Open at Evian Resort.
Foster was 26th on level par after a two-over 73, seven shots behind Swiss Chiara Tamburlini with Wilson 55th on four-over after a 76.
Meanwhile, Meath's Daniel Mulligan (20) birdied four of his last eight holes and shot a three-under 69 to share 15th with Galway's Liam Nolan in the Danish Golf Challenge at Bogense.
Nolan shot 70 to leave them eight shots behind Scotland's Calum Fyfe on five-under as the rest of the Irish missed the level par cut.
In the Senior PGA at Congressional, Darren Clarke's two-under 70 left him just three shots behind early leader Cameron Percy on three-under.
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