Purcell off to flyer in West

Portmarnock’s Conor Purcell hit route 66 to lead the Radisson Blu-sponsored West of Ireland Championship by a shot at Co Sligo.

The 21-year old raced home in five-under 30 to lead the first strokeplay staging of the “West” by one stroke from 17-year-old Boys international Max Kennedy from Royal Dublin.

Defending champion Robert Brazill birdied the last three holes as he posted a three-under 68 to share third place with Castleknock’s Paul Coughlan, who holed a seven-iron for an eagle two at the tough seventh.

“It’s a good start,” said Purcell, who turned in level-par after following birdies at the second and fifth, with bogeys at the sixth and eighth.

“I putted very well today, and I was very comfortable with my irons and didn’t hit too many bad tee shots. So once I was in position off the tee, I could get it on the green and give myself chances.

“I finished off nicely and shot five-under on the back nine, which was good. I couldn’t really have asked for anything better.”

With most of the back nine playing downwind, Purcell took advantage and birdied the 11th, 12th, 13th, 16th, and 18th thanks to some stellar iron play and putting.

Kennedy made seven birdies before saving par on the last two greens to post 67.

“I putted very well and hit a lot of shots close,” said the Dubliner, who won the Leinster U16 title in 2017.

Brazill birdied the last three holes, with the highlight being his three at the downwind 17th, where he drove over the hill and hit a wedge to 12 feet.

It was a nice way to finish,” the big-hitting 22-year-old said. “It would be lovely to defend the title because four rounds of stroke play wouldn’t be my forte.

Meanwhile Rory McIlroy’s recent victory at the Players Championship can propel him to a first green jacket at next week’s Masters, according to former Augusta runner-up Curtis Strange.

McIlroy ended a run of near misses to win the prestigious Florida tournament by one stroke — his first title for a year.

The 29-year-old former world number one is aiming for victory in the Masters to complete a career Grand Slam of Majors, although he has not won one since the PGA Championship in 2014.

“I think that (Players Championship victory) was huge,” said Strange, who the two-time US Open champion, who is now working for broadcaster ESPN at the Masters.

“He didn’t have to reminded that he hadn’t finished off in the last year or so after playing well the first three days.

“To get over that little hurdle and win on really a kind of quirky golf course, similar to Augusta, to win on a big stage like that, you think about yourself differently,” he added.