Improving Murphy raises level of expectation

GARY MURPHY’S disappointment at “only” finishing with a level par 72 for four under and a share of 11th place at the Nissan Irish Open is its own indication of the new-found level of expectation the Kilkenny man is harbouring after a great run over the past month.

Less than four weeks ago, he was 145th in the European Tour money list. Then came 27th place in the Smurfit European Open followed by 4th in the Scottish Open and 34th in the Open Championship and suddenly his professional vision has changed.

He was up to 47th in the order of merit with a total of €288,089 and his card for next season well and truly assured. After seven holes yesterday, Murphy was seven under at Portmarnock and only three out of the lead. Sadly, he was unable to keep it going and slipped back to four under for a still very handsome finishing position. He picked up another €28,740 and has improved still further to 42nd on the Tour's pecking order with €317,828 to his credit. However, recent developments have caused him to expect a lot more he isn't prepared to settle for mediocrity and genuinely believes that he has thrown away a chance of claiming the title that would mean more than anything else to him.

"To shoot 74 in the first round and to get within three of the lead today with 10 holes to go was great, but it all went wrong around the turn," he said. "I hit an alright drive at nine and got punished and then at 10 I committed a cardinal sin. I had a lob wedge of 67 yards and thought I hit a good shot but the ball spun back into the swale and I lost my head over the pitch, knocked it miles past and missed the one back. I dropped another at the 13th, I was fiddling with my third and it got caught in a gust and went right. My chance was gone after that for there were no eagles out there, it was hard to get back.

"I was trying to win the bloody thing but No 10 knocked me back a lot. You still have to keep playing and I did and made a nice birdie at 17 only to pull my drive at the last and that was another shot gone. I really felt I had a chance. Shaun Webster shot 30 on the back nine yesterday. Anything is possible. I felt great, I was really relaxed, I was enjoying it and I was started to hole a few putts. The crowd were getting behind me and more people were coming out to watch. But that 10th, what I did was criminal, a real box in the mouth."

Murphy has contested the last six tournaments in a row and has no intention of stopping now. He travels to Sweden for the Scandinavian Open this week and might even play the following week in Denmark ("I couldn't get into these tournaments last year so what's the point in not playing them now when I can?"). He appeared to be really down and when I suggested there was no reason at all for such despondency given his great improvement of recent times, he emphatically responded: "Ah, but that was three weeks ago. The bar has been raised. I have had a fantastic run, but you don't get too many chances to win an Irish Open. Overall, though, I'm happy."

Murphy certainly proved he has the shot-making capacity over the first seven holes as he reeled off birdies at the 3rd (wedge to twenty feet), 6th (two great shots into the bunker right, out to six feet) and 7th (seven iron to thirty feet) and, as he smiled ruefully, "I was thinking 65, 66. But such is life." Murphy led the six-strong Irish contingent at the finish but, in truth, it was a low key if not downright poor performance by the home players. In spite of dropping two shots in the last three holes on Saturday, Peter Lawrie was nicely played four out of the lead going into the final round. Whether it was the importance of the occasion or that luck was not on his side, Peter Lawrie never got going and slumped to a 77 that included only one birdie and even that was delayed until the 16th. "I came into the week struggling after missing two cuts and did myself proud up to today," said the 30-year-old Dubliner. "I got a few bad breaks which I compounded by lipping out putts. It was a tough day and a tough week but also a very enjoyable one.

Lawrie tied for 23rd and picked up €17,370 for a total on Tour of 311, 331 and 46th spot.

Paul McGinley blew his chance on Saturday when he spoiled the effects of his 66 on the previous day by taking ten more. He was more like his true self yesterday when bringing in a 71 for a one under par total of 297, good enough for a share of 33rd and prize money of €13,920. He is now 41st on the money list with €321,825.

"I'm still sore after the triple bogey, double bogey from yesterday," he lamented. "It was a salvage operation today. I wish I was playing better and in contention. I was looking for a half decent finish. But it's all about winning and I have no excuses. But there are signs of improvement. My putting is improving, quite solid, but I just need to be finishing higher up the leaderboards.

Darren Clarke finished with a disappointing 75 for a three over par total of 291.

Clarke finished in a share of 47th with Damien McGrane, the Wexford professional who battled gamely and productively to complete the tournament on two over after completing the back nine in eight pars and a birdie at the 11th for a round of 71.

Clarke and McGrane both pocketed €8,460. Damian Mooney from Belfast returned a 73 for four over 292.

He finished in a tie for 56th and won €5,340.