Murray has point to prove at Lahinch

GOLF SOUTH OF IRELAND AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP:IN NORMAL circumstances, Pat Murray, as the reigning Irish champion, would have expected to be part of the six-man Ireland team for last month's European Team championships.

He never got the call, and the team’s failure to make the top flight, having won the previous two years, only highlighted his absence.

So the 37-year-old Limerickman heads into the South of Ireland Amateur Championship at Lahinch, starting today, with a point to prove to the national selectors who overlooked him.

There are four members of that European championship team – Niall Kearney, the defending champion and favourite; Cian Curley, who lost to Murray in the Irish final; Simon Ward, the 2006 champion, and Dara Lernihan – in the field at Lahinch.

Kearney, who won the Brabazon Trophy (English Amateur Open strokeplay) earlier in the season, will seek to defend his title and, in the process, aim to sway the Britain and Ireland Walker Cup selectors who are due to name the team next week for the match in September against the US in Merion, Pennsylvania.

Interestingly, given Tom Watson’s performance in the British Open last week, there are a number of the golden generation aiming to upset the young guns.

Noel Pyne, the former Clare hurler, will be making his 45th appearance in the championship – extending the record by another year.

Fellow 63-year-old Barry Reddan, a past winner, is also competing, as is three-time champion Pauric O’Rourke, who has reached his 60th birthday.