Murphy looking up

Ireland’s Gary Murphy had one eye on the upper reaches of the Order of Merit rather than the bottom in the third round of the Mallorca Classic.

The top 118 players on the money list by Sunday night retain their cards for 2007 – and Murphy began this week in 118th place, just €570 ahead of England’s David Carter.

But rounds of 68 and 71 gave the 34-year-old from Kilkenny a share of the halfway lead with Sweden's Niclas Fasth – and even thoughts of claiming a first European Tour title.

“Maybe I need a bit of stress to play better,” joked Murphy, who thought he had done enough with third place in the Russian Open in August – only to then miss the next four cuts.

“But there is still a lot of golf to be played – we are only halfway. It’s such a battle, and you can’t get ahead of yourself.”

Murphy is aware victory tomorrow would earn him a place in the season-ending Volvo Masters in Valderrama next week.

He added: “There are other things to play for. I’ll try to keep doing what I’m doing – and if it gets me in the mix on Sunday afternoon that will be great.

“If I play my game I will have a very good chance. I’ve been there before, just never got over the final hurdle.”

With Padraig Harrington missing the cut and therefore failing to close the gap on Paul Casey at the top of the standings, focus will shift to the nerve-wracking battle at the bottom.

Carter kept his hopes alive by making the cut on five over – while Jonathan Lomas, 121st in the standings, boosted his chances with a 73 to finish one over.

Kent’s Jamie Spence (126th), the chairman of the tour’s tournament committee, made it through as well but at seven over par will need a major improvement over the weekend to avoid a return to the qualifying school.

Yorkshire’s Ian Garbutt (115th) looks safe after a nervous wait to see if he had made the cut right on the mark of eight over – but Brazil’s Alexandre Rocha (123rd) faces an instant return to the tour school after missing the cut.