Conor Purcell ground out a level-par 72 to make big strides up the leaderboard and cruise into the weekend on another tough day at the DP World Tour’s Nexo Championship.
The Portmarnock man overcame an early double bogey, trading four birdies – including one at the last – with two bogeys to climb into a share of 25th place at the halfway mark.
Grant Forrest will take a one-shot lead into the weekend after setting a new course record at Trump International Golf Links.
The Scotsman posted a brilliant six under par round of 66 to break the course record and move to seven under, one ahead of Englishman Jordan Smith in second.
The 32-year-old admitted he has been struggling during the 2025 DP World Tour campaign, but home comforts after a three-week break seemed to have rejuvenated him as he climbed to the summit in Aberdeenshire.
Forrest, who carded an opening 71, got his record round off to a perfect start with back-to-back birdies. He picked up two more gains on four and five to join Smith and overnight leader Richard Sterne at five under.
Forrest bogeyed the seventh but bounced back at the eighth to return to five under, before two more birdies coming in at the tenth and 16th saw him move to the top of the leaderboard on seven under.
“It was tough again today,” Forrest said. “The wind was up and I just played brilliant to be honest. I gave myself loads of really good chances and controlled my ball really well. I rolled a couple of putts in and left a couple out there and overall had a great day.
“It’s probably the second best career round in these conditions behind Fairmont when I won. I shot ten under on a day which probably started as windy as today and got even windier. This is definitely up there.
“You don’t get too many of those days where things really happen for you. This season has been a bit of a struggle for the most part, so just to play some really good golf is really encouraging.
“I’ve had three weeks at home so just spending time with the wife and our eight-month-old, so just soaking all that up. I felt pretty relaxed going into this week, I’m quite comfortable in these conditions and just happy with the way the game’s going.”
Smith birdied his final hole to record back-to-back rounds of 69 and sit in solo second on six under, two ahead of Sterne, who carded a two over 74, in third.
Dutchman Daan Huizing posted a bogey-free round of 69 to move into fourth position, while English pair Todd Clements and Alex Fitzpatrick sit one shot further back alongside South African Justin Harding, Australia’s David Micheluzzi and Finn Oliver Lindell.
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