Murphy and Lowry find form and are ready to challenge

IN a complete turnaround to their recent form, both Gary Murphy and Shane Lowry now find themselves vying for victory in the Madrid Masters.

Murphy, who is battling to hold onto his Tour card, finished his second round in near darkness to be among the leading lights after a round of 65 to end in a share of third place at 12-under par tally on the Centro Nacional course.

Spain’s and World No. 8, Sergio Garcia (67) along with Scotland’s David Drysdale (65) head the event on 13-under par.

Murphy finds himself in unfamiliar ground and tied with England’s Ross McGowan (66) and Italian Emanuele Canonica (65) while Lowry, who has missed the cut in seven of a dozen events since winning the Irish Open, recorded his lowest-ever round as a professional in signing off for a nine under par 63 and just a stroke shy of the course record.

The reigning Irish Open champion is lying ninth on 10-under par.

Murphy arrived in Spain lying well down in 145th place on the Race to Dubai money list and needing some good results over his remaining handful of events to avoid a first trip to the Tour’s Q-School in seven years.

However after recording his lowest starting round in 18 months on Thursday, Murphy continues to impress with his 36-hole Madrid effort his best since a similar 12-under par tally after two rounds of last year’s Austrian Open.

“I played superbly from tee to green so I’m really pleased,’’ said Murphy.

“It’s just that I have holed some more putts this week, and it’s as simple so I’m not at all surprised.

“So we’ll see now what the weekend holds but then it’s only a golf ball and grass, and that’s all my coach Bob Torrance says.”

Lowry’s score was also one stroke shy of a European Tour best of a 62 he recorded as an amateur on day two of the ‘3’ Irish Open at Baltray.

“It was great to shoot a 63 and it could have easily been a lot lower had a few more putts dropped,” he said.

“I don’t feel as though I played any better than I did on Thursday but it’s nice to be playing well and to be in contention, and in with a chance over the weekend.

“That’s the goal I have set myself over my last six events, and that’s to just get into once.

“But this is a round that’s been in the bag for the last three to four weeks and today was all about finding a bit of confidence and I managed to do that right from the first hole.”

Lowry’s lowest-ever pro round was a mixture of five outward nine birdies and four inward half birdies.

Peter Lawrie is next best of the Irish in carding a 67 to move to eight under par while the Damien McGrane (71) and Ulster duo of Michael Hoey (69) and Gareth Maybin (68) are tied at six under par.

Darren Clarke (76) was the only Irish player to miss the four under par cut after a second round that included two birdies but also four bogeys and a double bogey.