Patience paying off for Murphy

Golf/European Open: A positive mental attitude is a valuable commodity in golf., writes John O'Sullivan at The K CLub.

Gary Murphy likes playing at The K Club, enjoys the course and the manner in which it demands the use of the driver. Yesterday in the opening round of the Smurfit European Open he confirmed that affinity, shooting a superb, blemish free, five under-par 67.

It could have been better but for a player languishing at 132nd in the Volvo Order of Merit despite making 10 of 14 cuts this season, he's not about to dwell on the negatives.

Patience and a respect for the golf course were key constituents in Murphy's exploits, virtues that have not always been evident in his game this season. "I think I try a little too hard to shoot low numbers. Around here you have to be patient."

Murphy ascribes the impetus for his round to another bogey-free 18 holes last Sunday at the French Open. "I didn't make any bogeys then and again today so that's two rounds for me which is a bit of a novelty. I played solid and was looking forward to coming back having played well here last year (he finished 29th)."

Not all recollections of life at The K Club are rosy and certainly one characteristic that the Kilkenny golfer retains despite tour travails is his sense of humour.

"I had a jumbo finish here a few years ago, finishing 7, 4, 7 to miss the cut by one shot. I'm a bit heavier and older, not as green. Experience is great but you still have to shoot the low numbers. The standard is very high, if you don't shoot low numbers at the weekend you move back.

"I've haven't done well enough at the weekends which is frustrating. I played well at the start of the year but the prize money wasn't big. It's important to play well this week. I've had a few bad breaks. Last week I did well to make the cut, grabbing a birdie on the last to get in by a shot.

"I started off the third round six over after four; hit it in the water and took a wrong drop, which is a quadruple bogey. You just want to get on a plane and go home but I hung in there well."

So what if he finds himself in contention come Sunday? How will he handle it? "I'll be fine. It's just ball and grass." Missed two chances, six feet, easy chance.

"I like this course because you have to use your driver on every hole, bar the seventh and that suits my game. I changed the shaft in my driver last Tuesday and it's worked well.

"I missed the first and I think that's the only fairway. When I missed a green I pitched and putted.

"The top six gets me my card, a win gets a five-year exemption. I'd like to play solid for the last three rounds and take it from there."