Hurley and Murphy move into position at Q-School; Caldwell lurking
Gary Hurley. Picture: Federico Capretti/ Alps Tour Golf.
West Waterford's Gary Hurley and Kinsale's John Murphy moved a step closer to clinching DP World Tour cards when they broke par for the second day running at the Final Stage of the 90-hole Qualifying School in Spain.
Hurley (29) carded seven birdies in a six-under 65 around the Lakes Course at Infinitum in Tarragona in round two to move up from 30th to tied fifth on eight-under-par.
Murphy (24) is also on course to finish among the top 25 and ties who secure cards after six rounds, finishing with three birdies in his last five holes for the second day running to card a three-under 69 at the Hills and share 15th on six-under.
Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat added a seven-under 64 at the Lakes to his opening 69 to lead by a shot on 10-under from Iceland's Gudmundur Kristjansson and English duo Daniel Brown and Ross McGowan.
Gary Hurley. Picture: Federico Capretti/ Alps Tour Golf.
Hurley was thrilled with his score, but after spending more than a year working on his mental game with Dr Ed Coughlan, he's determined to stick to what's taken him from no-man's land to the Challenge Tour next year and possibly to the DP World Tour.
"Yeah, obviously six-under anywhere is pretty good," said Hurley, who birdied the first four holes and picked up another shot at the ninth before following a bogey at the 12th with birdies at the 13th and par-five 16th.
"I was solid and got off to a fast start and birdied four holes. I was just really strong with my engagement in shots. I was happy with how I played."
With the Lakes Course more open off the tee and more exposed to the wind, Hurley managed his game well, and while it's tempting to dream of winning his card, he's determined to stick to the process that's helped him graduate to the Challenge Tour from the Alps Tour this season.
"No more the same," he said of his game plan. "For me, it doesn't really matter. The scores I shot today or yesterday, I've just got to prepare for tomorrow the way I have prepared all year. Just make sure I'm ready to deal with whatever happens.
"Because we don't know what's going happen tomorrow. It's very open, the future. So I'm not concerned with that. I will just make sure I get some rest tonight and prepare the way I want to prepare for tomorrow."
As for winning his card, he did not shy away from the question.
John Murphy and Shane O'Connell pictured during the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final at Alcanada Golf Club in Mallorca. Picture: Niall O'Shea
"It would be great. But I try not to be too concerned with the outcomes - the what ifs or what's happening. I've been really strong in my commitment to some work I've been doing this year mentally and this might be one of the biggest tests of it because there's just so many things going on.
"It's Q-School and everything feels so final. But I'm just trying to stay in the process of what I'm doing and just be curious about what that brings, good or bad. It's not really important as long as I'm true to myself. So that's where I'm where I'm at."
Murphy has a strong Challenge Tour card after finishing in the top 45 in the Road to Mallorca this year.
But for the first few days, he's just making sure he avoids big numbers and doesn't shoot himself out of the race for cards.
"You need a lot of patience out there," Murphy said after following a birdie at the 10th with bogeys at the 13th and 15th before recovering with birdies at the 16th, fifth, seventh and eighth.
"I played lovely on the front nine, just missed a couple of short ones, to be honest. But I just stayed really patient, hung in there, and thankfully a couple dropped at the end.
"I've just come here with the thought process of just putting myself in the short grass as much as possible. If that leaves me longer shots in, then fine. It's just about keeping myself in good positions and it's gone pretty well so far. So I'll try to keep doing that.
"I know that if I can put myself in position coming into the last few days, I'll be confident in my abilities then. So I think it was certainly just a matter of being pretty conservative the first few days and just making sure is keeping myself as stress-free as possible and leaving myself in good positions."
With the cut for the top 70 and ties not set to fall until after Monday's fourth round, Murphy is focussing on conserving energy and using the nervous energy to his advantage.
"Obviously, you have different pressures and expectations and nerves coming into this event," the former Walker Cup star explained. "But I do enjoy a few nerves every now and then.
John Murphy pictured during the Rolex Callenge Tour Grand Final at Alcanada Golf Club in Mallorca. Picture: Niall O'Shea
"So it's nice; I enjoy it. But I think there's going to be a lot of fatigue this week, starting early in the week. So you know, I'm done nice and early today, going to go back and chill and watch the sports and recover for the rest of the day and get ready to go again tomorrow."
While he'd love to win his card, he knows it's not life or death.
"I'm coming in here knowing that I have job security next year, I have a place to play, so I'm probably in a bit freer a situation than other people here," he said. "But obviously, it'd be nice to improve on that and get myself that DP World card. But there's a long way to go and lots of golf left to play. So I am just going to try to keep doing what I'm doing and see what happens."
It was also a good day for Jonathan Caldwell, who shot a three-under 69 on the Hills Course to move up to tied 45th on three-under.
He's just two strokes outside the top 25 and ties and two shots inside the projected 72-hole cut mark for the top 70 and ties.
However, Cormac Sharvin and Paul Dunne have less room for manoeuvre.
After dropping four shots in his first six holes, Sharvin birdied his seventh and picked up a brace of birdie twos on his back nine at the Hills to card a level par 72 that leaves him just a shot outside the top 70, tied for 93rd on one-over.
Dunne made two birdies and two bogeys to turn in level par at the Lakes but closed with a bogey five at the ninth to share 118th on three-over heading into Sunday's third round.
Germany’s Nick Bachem carded the round of the day — a 10-under 61 at the Lakes, to share 15th with Murphy on six-under.
However, Dario Antomisse, who was tied for the overnight lead after round one, crashed to a 79 to slip to 93rd on one-over.
