This is something that I’ve aspired to do my whole life” – Conor Purcell enjoying Tour challenge

They say consistency is overrated in golf when one good week can erase the pain of multiple painful weekends off and a big cheque solves all problems. Rookie Conor Purcell would certainly settle for that in this week’s Amgen Irish Open where a top performance would propel him out of the twilight zone and into the top 113 or so who will be guaranteed a day job on the DP World Tour in 2026. Purcell, who won twice on the HotelPlanner Tour last season to earn promotion to the big time, arrives at The K Club ranked 148th after 20 events. He’s not panicking as he battles to retain his card but after a season he describes as being a bit like a spaghetti western — “The good, the bad and the ugly” — he looks at the consistency of world number one Scottie Scheffler with an envious eye and vows to plough on in his own way as he seeks the spark that will ignite the touch paper and allow him to realise his undoubted talent.