Kinsale’s John Murphy sank the crucial putt as his Louisville Cardinals team ground their way to the NCAA Championship finals on Wednesday.
With a fourth-place finish, the Cardinals advanced for the fourth time in their programme’s history and for the first time since 2016, with the Corkonian’s 10-foot clutch putt the stroke that sealed the Cardinals progression.
“I knew it was going to be an important putt,” Murphy reflected. “It was getting kind of tense out there towards the end of the day so I knew that every shot would matter. It was a little bit of a roller coaster but I’m so excited to be able to advance.”
Murphy finished the individual 54-hole tournament tied for 12th on two-under par but it was that 10-foot par putt that ensured head coach, Mark Crabtree would be taking his side to the finals of the college season.
“As a coach, you preach all year long about what it takes to be successful,” said Crabtree. “You have to battle adversity and overcome it. I saw these guys battle at another level today and that’s what we need to do every day we go play. We faced a challenge and we won.”
As a team, Louisville finished on minus-four in Wednesday’s final round and seven-over par for the tournament. Oklahoma State overcame an eight-shot deficit to blitz the field with a seven-under-par salvo to snatch the win.
The NCAA national championship takes place from May 23-29 at The Blessings Course in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
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