Murray inspired by brave Sophie at Mount Wolseley
Tom Murray with the Volopa Irish Challenge trophy
England’s Tom Murray was inspired by his paralysed girlfriend as he holed two birdie bombs on the 18th to snatch the Volopa Irish Challenge hosted by Mount Wolseley Hotel Spa and Golf Resort.
The 25-year old son of former European Tour winner Andrew, Murray went into the final round three strokes adrift of leader Nino Bertasio of Italy.
But he birdied the last from 25 feet for a four under 67 that gave him the clubhouse lead on 16 under par and a share of top spot with Bertasio and England’s Robert Coles and then did it again to beat the Italian at the second extra hole.
As veteran Coles (73) drove into trees made a quadruple bogey eight at the 17th to slip to tied fifth, Bertasio (70) missed birdie chances from 12 feet at the 17th and 18th to end up in a sudden-death playoff.
Both players missed birdie chances on their return to the 413-yard 18th before Murray drained a 30 footer across the green for birdie and looked on as Bertasio’s 20 footer to stay alive failed to drop.
The champion confessed that he was inspired by his girlfriend Sophie Carrigill, 21, who was paralysed in a 2010 car crash and is now captain of Great Britain’s Wheelchair Basketball team.
“Sophie plays elite sport herself and she studies psychology as well, so you couldn’t have a more perfect role model and inspiration for me,” said Murray, whose maiden win was worth €28,800.
"I started putting her initials on my ball to remind me that if I hit a bad golf shot, it really doesn’t matter.
“I’ve done that ever since and the way I lined my ball up on the last, I could see the initials and to be honest, that was the only thought going through my head — she’ll be buzzing if I hole this.”
What a putt for @TomMurrayGolf! Is that a winning putt? #IrishChallenge pic.twitter.com/iJdmJ3Xp5E
— Challenge Tour (@Challenge_Tour) October 11, 2015Derry’s Michael McGeady (71) and Ruaidhri McGee (69) tied for 30th on five under to lead the Irish challenge under with Moyola Park’s Chris Selfridge (72) and Headfort’s Rory McNamara (75) a shot further back in joint 35th.
As Murray moved up to 30th in the Road to Oman rankings with two events remaining, McGee’s cheque for € 1,440 helped him move up one spot to 20th in the race for a Top 15 spot and a full European Tour card.
Even if he fails to make the Top 15 after the final Challenge Tour event and misses his card at the European Tour Qualifying School finals, McGee will still have a basic European Tour category next season.
“That’s not too bad after starting the year with a medical exemption,” McGee said. “In the big scheme of things it is easy to get down after an average week like this but in general it’s been a pretty good year and we still have a chance to finish in that Top 15.”
Selfridge's week was hampered by a neck injury and he's now looking for a big performance in the $500,000 Foshan Open in China in a fortnight so he can qualify for the season-ending NBO Golf Classic Grand Final in Oman.
"I am just glad the week is over," Selfridge said of his neck problem. "Having to play with a chip fade is no fun. It didn’t really matter where I finished this week. I now have to finish in the Top 10 in China to get into the Grand Final and get European Tour status. I had to be either fifth or sixth here because compared to China or Oman the prize fund is small."
Unless he makes the Grand Final and earns a ticket to the Final Stage of Q-School, Selfridge will have to go to Second Stage in Spain next month where he will be joined by at least another 10 Irish players, including McGeady and Rory McNamara, who tied for 35th with Selfridge on four under.
McGeady said: "It was a nice week. I have been playing well and I am just disappointed I didn’t shoot two better scores over the weekend, certainly yesterday on moving day. I am happy enough with the week overall. I am just trying to get some kind of category for next year and have Second Stage now."
McNamara, who only got into the event at the last minute, added: "I struggled today. I got off to an okay start. Hit it close on the first and missed and then blocked an five iron on the second and made bogey. From there i just struggled with the irons. I was two over for the front nine which wasn;t too madd for th ewya I was paying. I birdie 12 after a good chance for eagle and bogeyed the 15th and 17th.
"But as a week, it was positive. I just need to turn my 74s into 72s and hole a couple more putts.. My course manengemt was good but I was just blocking my irons. It was such a rushed week so in that sense, it was a good week."
Jonny Caldwell (74) was 41st on three over with Richard Kilpatrick (72) and Alan Dunbar (70) tied 42nd on two under.
"I felt really good in practice and did a lot of work on my putting and did well the first two rounds," Dunbar said. "I just struggled a bit on the third day. I got off to a bad start today, got it back and made a few stupid mistakes.
"That’s been the story all year — I’ve been making plenty of birdies but too many stupid mistakes. I guess it is just the odd bad shot and not scrambling well enough. I am playing enough good golf but I need toi cut out the mistakes."
Dunbar still has the Second Stage of Q-School as well as the Europro Tour Grand Final ahead.
"I think I need a Top 3 or 4 in the EuroPro Tour Grand final to get Challenge Tour card," he said.
Volopa Irish Challenge hosted by Mount Wolseley Hotel Spa and Golf Resort (Par 72)
272 T Murray (Eng) 69 67 69 67, N Bertasio (Ita) 68 66 68 70 (Murray won with a birdie at the second extra hole)
274 G Boyd (Eng) 71 69 66 68,
275 R Coles (Eng) 65 69 69 72, G Porteous (Eng) 70 69 69 67,
276 M Orrin (Eng) 70 70 70 66, R Evans (Eng) 68 72 68 68,
277 S Tiley (Eng) 69 70 70 68, S Wakefield (Eng) 69 69 70 69, S Griffiths (Eng) 70 71 71 65,
279 S Manley (Wal) 67 76 67 69, J Stalter (Fra) 70 69 72 68, J Hahn (USA) 71 69 68 71, S Walker (Eng) 69 71 74 65,
280 J Dantorp (Swe) 69 71 70 70, S Soderberg (Swe) 72 69 69 70, H Porteous (RSA) 70 73 68 69,
281 S Fallon (Eng) 75 67 69 70, J Hansen (Den) 70 69 73 69, D Im (USA) 67 70 72 72, M Schneider (Ger) 68 72 70 71, R Langasque (am) (Fra) 67 73 71 70,
282 P Archer (Eng) 69 69 71 73, D Stewart (Sco) 69 74 68 71, S Jeppesen (Swe) 72 70 72 68, D Huizing (Ned) 72 66 73 71, A Ahokas (Fin) 70 69 72 71, B Stone (RSA) 72 66 67 77, T Linard (Fra) 68 73 72 69,
283 Ruaidhri McGee (Irl) 70 71 73 69, P Whiteford (Sco) 70 68 72 73, Michael McGeady (Irl) 69 71 72 71, C Ford (Eng) 71 69 74 69, J Huldahl (Den) 72 71 70 70,
284 M Lafeber (Ned) 72 71 70 71, C Sordet (Fra) 72 67 72 73, Rory McNamara (Irl) 69 74 66 75, D Law (Sco) 68 74 72 70, Chris Selfridge (Nir) 70 71 71 72, V Riu (Fra) 69 73 71 71,
285 Jonny Caldwell (Nir) 72 70 69 74,
286 J Fahrbring (Swe) 71 72 69 74, Richard Kilpatrick (Nir) 67 73 74 72, M Southgate (Eng) 68 74 74 70, A McArthur (Sco) 71 70 73 72, Alan Dunbar (Nir) 69 71 76 70, M S¯gaard (Den) 70 71 71 74,
287 J Sjoholm (Swe) 68 74 73 72, Simon Thornton (Irl) 69 72 76 70, L Gagli (Ita) 69 72 73 73,
288 T Sluiter (Ned) 71 71 73 73, H Joannes (Bel) 73 70 71 74,
289 F Andersson Hed (Swe) 73 69 78 69, S Brown (Eng) 72 70 75 72, J Mullen (Eng) 68 72 76 73, B Virto Astudillo (Esp) 74 68 74 73,
290 A Bernadet (Fra) 71 71 73 75,
291 C Gloet (Den) 73 66 78 74,
292 G Murray (Sco) 71 72 77 72, A Gee (Eng) 68 75 70 79,
293 M Keyser (RSA) 70 72 79 72,
294 N Geyger (Chi) 70 73 76 75, J Winther (Den) 71 71 76 76.
