Murphy leads Irish challenge in European tour qualifying

Ireland's Gary Murphy is just a shot off the pace in the second round of the European tour qualifying school in Spain today.

England's Phil Archer has a share of the second round lead in the European tour qualifying school in Spain today with a sparkling 63 to be on the 13 under par mark of 130 with Spaniard Eduardo de la Riva.

This is 30-year-old Archer’s ninth trip to the school and he has made it through only once so far.

The leading pair are a stroke in front of Irishman Gary Murphy and Sussex's Edward Rush, with Broadhurst now in 36th place and Richardson a lowly 157th.

Philip Walton, the other ex-Ryder Cup man taking part, is 57th on four under after a 71 at Pals.

“I played scrappy,” he commented. “I missed a lot of fairways, so it was a good score considering.”

Another Irishman, Michael Hoey, who began the event with a quadruple bogey eight and a round of 77, hit back with a 65 at Emporda, but is still only joint 98th.