Kinsale's John Murphy is hoping to finish his first season as a professional golfer with a bang.
Murphy has had a strong maiden season on the Challenge Tour, finishing in the top 3 on consecutive weekends in August, at the K Club and in Finland respectively. There are now four tournaments left to play on the Challenge Tour before the season Tour Grand Final in Mallorca. The top 45 make it into the final competition.
At the end of the season the top 45 in the overall rankings get DP World Tour status for 2022/23, but not a full card. That luxury is reserved for those who finish in the top 20.
John Murphy currently sits in 30th place, and poised to make a run for his card.
Thankfully he remains grounded. We spoke to him earlier in the year where he put forward the mantra of, "it’s never as good as you think it is and it’s never as bad as you think it is."
This week he showed us that this mature mindset still remains, and he told us about his recent conversations with his mental coach, where they have prepared for missing out on a top 20 finish, and agreed that it was not the 'be all and end all.'
Nonetheless, his focus is purely on the Challenge Tour, so much so that he is skipping next week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, the site of his best ever professional tournament performance (he finished T9 last year).
Despite the far superior rankings points and prize money on offer at the DP World Tour event, and Murphy's self-professed loved for St. Andrew's - one of the three courses used in the tournament - he is foregoing his invitation to take part in the Challenge Tour's Hopps Open de Provence.
First Year As A Pro For John Murphy
Looking back on the year he has had, his first as a pro, Murphy admits that the novelty factor, that was once present when playing pro tournaments as an amateur, has worn off. "Reality kicked in," he says, as this is now his way of making ends meet.
However, he refuses to say that it has been tough, as he does not want to seem ungrateful or give an impression that he is not doing the thing he has dreamt about since he was a kid.
"It’s all I ever dreamed of is being able to do this for a living, for my job. So I try not to really look at it that way, so I suppose the term grind would give you the impression that it’s just constant strain and it’s not enjoyable, but it is enjoyable.
I love what I’m doing, I love getting to travel and play every week. Certainly there are pressures and all that kind of thing that comes with it. But as you said, first year as a pro is kind of learning how to deal with those. I suppose what works best for me out here and how to handle those pressures and expectations.
READ HERE: John Murphy Relishes The Grind, And Draws Inspiration From Power And Lowry
John Murphy On His Hero, Pádraig Harrington
It has been one of the most successful years on tour for Irish golfers in general, with Rory McIlroy back to top form and FedEx Cup champion, Shane Lowry playing the best golf of his career, Seamus Power into the world's top 50, and Pádraig Harrington a senior major champion.
Naturally, Murphy draws inspiration from these success stories, and in particular Pádraig Harrington, who, as he was for every young Irish golf fan in the 2000's, Murphy's hero growing up.
“As a proud Irishman it’s great to see such success on a national stage. Obviously Shane has a career that any aspiring golfer would love to emulate. What he’s done in the game is just incredible, same with Pádraig.
Pádraig I think doesn’t get enough credit for how incredible he was. He was my hero growing up, my first golfing memory involved Pádraig Harrington, watching on the TV. I think his mentality and his career is something I’ve looked up to and aspired to a lot. I spent my first proper bit of time with him this year at the JP McManus Invitational.
"Just getting to talk to him and pick his brain has been incredible for me. And certainly what he’s still doing in the game is inspiring. I know he’s playing the Champions Tour but he’s good enough to compete on the PGA and the DP World Tour still so I wouldn’t be shocked if we saw him up there in another major or two."
At the time of writing, Murphy currently sits in a tie for seventh place at the Swiss Challenge, after shooting 68 and 71.
A top three finish would push him to the cusp of the top 20 in the rankings with fours more tournaments left to play, and the ultimate goal of a 2022/23 DP World Tour card on the line.
SEE ALSO: Paul McGinley Wants To See Huge Change To One Of Golf's Biggest Team Events
