Murphy on the move at last after stunning 65 in Belgium
John Murphy pictured during the Rolex Callenge Tour Grand Final at Alcanada Golf Club in Mallorca. Picture: Niall O'Shea
Kinsale's John Murphy feels like he can finally start to build some momentum again after he fired a six-under 65 to move up to tied 17th heading into the final round of the Soudal Open in Belgium.
The former Walker Cup star (24) has endured a nightmare season, missing all 10 cuts on the DP World Tour and two more from as many starts on the Challenge Tour.
But he believes he's turned the corner after making his first cut of the season this week, and after reeling off an eagle and six birdies in round three, he feels he can finally start to move up the Race to Dubai.
"I'm very pleased," said Murphy, who finished with three successive birdies at Rinkven International in Antwerp to move up to 17th on eight-under-par.
"It feels really nice to feel like I'm playing some good golf again.
"I struggled a bit in the last few months, so certainly, I felt myself out there again. I felt comfortable, felt confident, and I'll just try to carry that into tomorrow."
Murphy is seven shots behind Sweden's Simon Forsstrom, who shot 67 to lead by a shot on 15-under par from local hero Thomas Detry.
He started his round with a bogey but birdied the third and fourth and made an eagle two at the eighth before picking up another shot at the par-three 12th.
He dropped another shot at the 14th but birdied the 16th, 17th and 18th to make a huge move up the leaderboard, having only made his first cut of the season on the mark.
"They moved the tee up on eight today, which was nice," he said. "It was a perfect number for a hybrid, so just hit it onto the front fringe and made a nice putt there (for eagleI.
"I gave myself a lot of chances out there today and made a few and missed a few. So, all in all, a pretty positive day."
Hoping to push on in the final round, he added: "As I said, it's been a slow start to the year, and I'm far from where I feel I need to be. But I feel like the last few days are pretty significant.
"I haven't made a cut all year yet, so it was nice to just get myself to the weekend. It's hard to gain momentum if you're not in at the weekend.
"If you're taking two days off every week and then you're back to it on a Monday, it's really hard to gain momentum.
"So I felt like I got over a massive hurdle on Friday making the cut, and I'm just trying to try to feel myself again on the golf course, and certainly it felt that way today."
Forsström made three birdies in his closing six holes for a four-under par 67 to lead on 15-under par total.
Like Murphy, the Swede is in his rookie season on the DP World Tour after earning his card at Qualifying School in November, but unlike the Cork man, he has had three top tens this campaign, making eight cuts from 11 starts.
He will have Detry chasing him on Sunday as the Belgian seeks a fairytale maiden victory on home soil.
The 30-year-old, a five-time runner-up on the DP World Tour, carded a bogey-free five-under-par round of 66 to trail the leader by just one stroke.
"It's absolutely amazing," Detry said. "It feels like I'm bringing Tiger crowds out here. The course has an amazing atmosphere between the trees as well.
"Every single clap sounds like it's times three. There's really a great atmosphere; it's lovely to see some familiar faces again. It's just so much fun, and hopefully, the sunshine stays for tomorrow, and I think it will."
Frenchman Julien Brun and Sweden's Jens Dantorp are tied for third on 12 under, with Mike Lorenzo-Vera of France, Scotland's Richie Ramsay and Englishman Andrew Wilson a shot further back.
