The Road to Mallorca arrives in Brittany for the first of back-to-back events in France. Here’s our three men to keep an eye on this week…
Form horse: Conor Purcell
Conor Purcell has been in fantastic form on the 2024 Road to Mallorca with three top six finishes in his last five starts, which have seen him climb into the top 20 on the Rankings. The Irishman finished in a tie for fourth at the Abu Dhabi Challenge before a tied sixth finish at the UAE Challenge a week later, giving him confidence ahead of the European events. The 26-year-old impressed with a tie for sixth at last week’s Kaskáda Golf Challenge, which included a third round of 64, and he will now be looking to carry that positive momentum into the Blot Open de Bretagne. Purcell came close to securing his DP World Tour card after finishing 29th on the Road to Mallorca Rankings last year, and he will be hoping to build on that experience to get over the line this time around with the top 20 earning promotion to golf’s Global Tour.
Local boy: Martin Couvra
Martin Couvra has proven his winning pedigree as an amateur, however is yet to taste victory in the paid ranks. The Frenchman became the first European to win all three of South Africa's major amateur titles at the start of 2023, before becoming the seventh amateur in history to win on the Challenge Tour after coming out on top in a play-off at the Challenge de España. The 21-year-old turned professional shortly after his maiden victory and went on to earn his place at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A, subsequently finishing 46th on the 2023 Road to Mallorca Rankings. Couvra has enjoyed an impressive 2024 campaign, with five top-ten finishes, and he currently sits in 15th position on the Rankings ahead of his return to home soil this week.
The outsider: Ronald Rugumayo
Ronald Rugumayo is proud to continue flying the flag for Uganda on golf’s global stage as he makes his first Challenge Tour appearance at Golf Bluegreen de Pléneuf Val André. The 31-year-old made his first DP World Tour appearance outside of Africa at the European Open last month and he will be relishing the chance to gain more experience in Europe as he visits France for the first time. The 31-year-old made headlines at the Magical Kenya Open earlier this season by becoming the first player from Uganda to make the cut at a DP World Tour event, and he is eager to continue using his profile to inspire others across East Africa.
