Kinsale’s John Murphy continued to show some green shoots of recovery after a nightmare couple of years as he made a promising start to Asian Tour Q-School.
Murphy who secured Alps Tour status recently is looking to clinch an Asian Tour card in Thailand and he opened with a one-under 69 to share tenth place with the top-22 progressing to the final stage later this month.
The 26-year-old had contemplated giving up the game after a horrific run of form where he lost his swing technically and missed 36 of his last 42 cuts, playing weekend golf on just eleven occasions over the last three seasons.
It’s been more than just a bump in the road for Murphy who burst onto the scene at the 2021 Walker Cup and eased onto the DP World Tour at the end of 2022.
But the dream quickly turned into a nightmare for the Cork man who feels his confidence is slowly starting to return.
“This year has felt a lot of the time one step forward two steps back,” said Murphy
“I’ve felt very close then very far away so I mean just have to keep reminding myself that the good times are ahead. Keep working hard and allow myself to free up and enjoy the game as much as possible. I’m sure there will be good things down the road.”
Murphy isn’t the only player looking to climb back up the golfing ladder after enduring a slump.
Former DP World Tour players including 2017 British Masters winner Paul Dunne, Kevin Phelan and Niall Kearney will tee it up in the Asian Tour pre-qualifiers next week in Thailand as will Declan Kenny and Michael Young.
The top-35 after five rounds of the Final Stage will earn Asian Tour cards for 2025.
Securing a card on a tour that seems to be improving year after year with a scattering of LIV Golf players competing in some of the elevated events would be a good test of golf for Murphy should he secure his card this month.
It would end another year of mental anguish on a high.
“It does affect you,” Murphy told the Irish Independent.
“I mean, there’s been many a lonely Friday night sitting in a hotel room. You’re just contemplating, you’re confused, you’re a bit bewildered by the whole thing.
“There’s a lot of a lot of anguish, a lot pain. And I suppose that does naturally take its effect on you as a person.”
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