"Lots to play for" as Murphy seeks hot start in Madrid
Rafa Cabrera Bello. Picture: Getty Images
Kinsale's John Murphy is praying for a fast start to the final round of the Acciona Open de España as he seeks a top 10 finish that will keep alive his quest for full European Tour status.
The former Walker Cup star (23) carded a two-under 69 at the Club de Campo in Madrid to go into the final round tied for 36th on eight-under-par, just three strokes outside the top-10.
The leading two players and ties finishing in the top 10 will get spots in next week's Andalucía Masters at Valderrama and Murphy knows he must hit the ground running.
"I didn't play any better or worse than what I shot," he said after sandwiching birdies at the fourth, seventh, eighth and 13th between bogeys at the third and 18th.
"Lots to play for tomorrow, hopefully a hot start will help things. The course is soft in the mornings and firms up as the day goes on."
Murphy bogeyed the 207-yard third after bunkering his tee shot, then missing an eight-footer for eagle at the fourth but tapped in for birdie.
He thn knocked in a 12 footer at the seventh and an 18 footer at the eighth but while he had to wait until the 16th for his third birdie of the day, he bunkered his shot approach to the 18th and finished with a bogey.
He's not the only player looking for a quick start to the final round after Rafa Cabrera Bello carded a bogey-free, seven-under 64 to take a two-shot lead into the final day in the Spanish capital.
He tops the leaderboard on 17-under par from fellow Spaniard Adri Arnaus and Frenchman Julien Guerrier with England's Jack Senior three shots back on 14-under.
World No 1 Jon Rahm cut a frustrated figure as he carded a one-over 72 to trail Cabrera Bello by six shots as he bids to win the title for the third time running.
Murphy is ranked 193rd in the Race to Dubai following his tie for ninth in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship last week.
He is unlikely to have further opportunities to play more European Tour events before the end of the season, but another top-10 finish could catapult him closer to the top 124 in the Race to Dubai who will have full status next year and potentially earn him a spot in next week's stellar event at Valderrama.
If he fails to pull it off, the Cork man will play back-to-back events on the Challenge Tour, where he is 88th in the Road to Mallorca standings with the top 45 contesting next month's Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final in Mallorca.
The top 20 in the Road to Mallorca standings will earn European Tour cards — the only other way to make it to the big tour in 2022 following the cancellation of the Qualifying School for the second year running due to COVID-19.
