Sam Murphy is off to a fine start at Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage and the Portumna man finds himself in a share of 10th place with the first 18 holes in the books near the Italian capital.
Contested over 54 holes, spaced across Terre dei Consoli and Golf Nazionale clubs on the outskirts of Rome, the 156-player field will be trimmed to the leading 65 and ties with the first 35 and ties at the conclusion of round three earning full Category 6 Alps Tour playing status for 2026.
Murphy, formerly of Grand Canyon University in Arizona, is about to embark on a pro career and successfully navigated First Stage last week and began round one on the 10th tee at Terre dei Consoli. A steady start saw just one birdie and one bogey over the first 13 holes, but three birdies in the closing five sent him shooting up the leaderboard and into a seven-way tie for 10th place.
Carton House’s Cathal MacCanna, also intent on turning pro, shot a level-par 72 at Golf Nazionale, which proved to be the slightly more difficult course on day one, and he shares 45th place, one shot outside the provisional qualification mark.
Marc Boucher (+2), Stephen Grant (+3), and Tom Dowdall (+5) all have their work cut out if they’re to make the 36-hole cut and give themselves a chance to push their way into the qualification places at the end of the week.
All will not be lost, however, as by virtue of making it to Final Stage, they’re guaranteed Category 9 status, rising to Category 8 if they make the cut but miss out on the top 35.
Each of the leading three players tackled Terre dei Consoli on day one, and Spaniard Jose Manuel Benitez leads the way at -7 after firing seven birdies, an eagle and a double bogey en route to a 65 that sees him one clear of Italian Luca Cavani with French amateur Ewan Le Tennier one shot further adrift in solo third.
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