John Henry two off the pace with a 67, Craig Lawrie 68

Murray sets course-record 65 to lead by one in EuroPro Tour's Irish Masters

 

Liam Murray carded a blemish free opening round of 65 (-7) to lead by one heading into the second round of the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour’s PREM Group Irish Masters at Tulfarris Hotel and Golf Resort, Wicklow.

 

Murray (GNK Golf and The LM Club) went out in 33 (-3) collecting an eagle and one birdie along the way, but really ramped up the scoring with a superb run of four consecutive birdies on his back nine.

 

The course record had already been set earlier in the day when in-form rookie Richard Mansell (Beau Desert Golf Club) shot an excellent 66 (-6) round, stringing five consecutive birdies together on the back nine to assume control early in the day.

 

However, Murray had other plans, and almost took a two-shot lead into the second round had his 12-foot birdie putt not lipped out on the 9^th, what was his final hole of the day.

 

Reflecting on his round he said: “It’s been a long time coming, but I it’s great to have played as well as I did today. My driving was great today, I only missed one fairway with driver which is key round a course like this if you want to have plenty of birdie opportunities.

 

“Making four birdies in a row is always nice, especially on the back nine. It was slightly annoying to lip out for birdie on the 9^th (last hole) but I can’t complain with that score.”

 

It’s the lowest round of Murray’s season on the EuroPro Tour, one that couldn’t have come at a better time with him sitting 77^th in the Race To Desert Springs and just two events left in the season.

 

“I’m aware of where I am in the standings, and I spoke to my coach yesterday who said I really need to step it up, this is a great start in that direction but there is still a lot of golf left to play this week. I’m glad to be playing on such a good course, I heard a lot of good things from the Irish guys on tour; it’s up there with the best we’ve played on all season.”

 

The second round of the PREM Group Irish Masters continues tomorrow (Thursday, 30^th August), after which a cut to the leading 50 professionals and ties will be made.

 

Highlights of will air on Sky Sports Golf on Tuesday, 11^th September. Spectator entry is free throughout the week and live scoring can be found at europrotour.com.

ALL THE FIRST-ROUND SCORES

1	Liam Murray   GNK Golf and The LM Club	-7	F *	-7	65			65
2	Richard Mansell   Beau Desert Golf Club	-6	F	-6	66			66
T3	Nick Watson   Stoke Rochford Golf Club	-5	F *	-5	67			67
T3	Mark Staunton   Delgany Golf Club	-5	F	-5	67			67
T3	Adam Runcie   Abergele Golf Club	-5	F	-5	67			67
T3	John Henry   Clydebank and District Golf Club	-5	F	-5	67			67
T7	Will Enefer   Retail Furniture Ltd	-4	F *	-4	68			68
T7	Stuart Grehan   Unattached	-4	F	-4	68			68
T7	Jason Timmis   Greenway Hall Golf Club	-4	F	-4	68			68
T7	Ashton Turner   Kenwick Park Golf Club	-4	F *	-4	68			68
T7	Craig Lawrie   Paul Lawrie Golf Centre	-4	F *	-4	68			68
T7	Craig Farrelly   TPS	-4	F *	-4	68			68
T7	Ashley Mansell   Clevedon Golf Club	-4	F	-4	68			68
T7	John-Ross Galbraith   Whitehead Golf Club	-4	F	-4	68			68
T15	Craig Ross   Kirkhill Golf Club/ G4L	-3	F	-3	69			69
T15	James WalkerJ. Walker   The Oaks Golf Club	-3	F *	-3	69			69
T15	Dave CouplandD. Coupland   Woodhall Spa Golf Club	-3	F	-3	69			69
T15	Harry KonigH. Konig   Tiverton GC/Snugs Earphones	-3	F *	-3	69			69
T15	Miles CollinsM. Collins   Stoke by Nayland Golf Club	-3	F	-3	69			69
T15	Joe Brice   Ashton Under Lyne Golf Club	-3	F	-3	69			69
T21	Matthew Hogg   Rushcliffe Golf Club	-2	F *	-2	70			70
T21	Jordan Wrisdale Boston	-2	F	-2	70			70
T21	Joe DillonJ. Dillon   Headfort Golf Club	-2	F *	-2	70			70
T21	Oscar Granstrom Livesey   Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club	-2	F	-2	70			70
T21	George MullinsG. Mullins   Langley Park / Lewis Access	-2	F	-2	70			70
T21	Kealan LoweK. Lowe   The Wheatley Golf Club	-2	F	-2	70			70
T21	Neil Henderson   The Renaissance Club	-2	F *	-2	70			70
T21	Sam Kiloh   Paul Lawrie Golf Centre	-2	F *	-2	70			70
T21	Brian McElhinney   North West Golf Club	-2	F *	-2	70			70
T21	James WebberJ. Webber   The Rayleigh Club	-2	F	-2	70			70
T21	Mark LaskeyM. Laskey   Brocket Hall Golf Club/HLBS	-2	F *	-2	70			70
T21	Darren WalkleyD. Walkley   Hayling Golf Club	-2	F *	-2	70			70
T21	Oliver ClarkeO. Clarke   White Rose Sport Management	-2	F	-2	70			70
T34	Owen EdwardsO. Edwards   The Kendleshire	-1	F	-1	71			71
T34	Jamie DickJ. Dick   Sherdons Golf	-1	F *	-1	71			71
T34	Mike BedfordM. Bedford   Bramhall Park Golf Club	-1	F	-1	71			71
T34	Niall TurnerN. Turner   N/A	-1	F	-1	71			71
T34	Matthew CortM. Cort   Beedles Lake Golf Club	-1	F	-1	71			71
T34	Jack DavidsonJ. Davidson   Llanwern Golf Club	-1	F *	-1	71			71
T34	Callum DavisonC. Davison   Cowichan Golf & Country Club	-1	F	-1	71			71
T34	Sean LawrieS. Lawrie   Paul Lawrie Golf Centre	-1	F *	-1	71			71
T34	Paul McKechnieP. McKechnie   Braid Hills Golf Centre	-1	F *	-1	71			71
T34	Billy SpoonerB. Spooner   Boston West Golf Club	-1	F *	-1	71			71
T34	Conor O'NeilC. O'Neil   Mearns Castle Golf Academy	-1	F	-1	71			71
T34	Tomasz AndersonT. Anderson   Centurion Club	-1	F	-1	71			71
T34	Scott FallonS. Fallon   North Middlesex	-1	F *	-1	71			71
T34	Luke JacksonL. Jackson   Lindrick Golf Club	-1	F *	-1	71			71
T34	Douglas-Roux JefferyD. Jeffery   PGA Namibia	-1	F *	-1	71			71
T34	Steve RobinsS. Robins   Hull Golf Club	-1	F *	-1	71			71
T50	Will WhiteoakW. Whiteoak   Shipley Golf Club	E	F	E	72			72
T50	Delon HauD. Hau   Unattatched	E	F	E	72			72
T50	Jack SouthJ. South   Hagley GC / Taymar Homes	E	F *	E	72			72
T50	Liam O'NeillL. O'Neill   Strike Sports	E	F *	E	72			72
T50	Luke DonnellyL. Donnelly   Mount Juliet Golf Club	E	F	E	72			72
T50	Lawrence AllanL. Allan   Alva Golf Club	E	F	E	72			72
T50	Brian CaseyB. Casey   Team Ireland	E	F *	E	72			72
T50	Max SmithM. Smith   Foxhills Club & Resort	E	F *	E	72			72
T50	Christopher EvansC. Evans   Hatchford Brook Golf Club	E	F *	E	72			72
T50	Chris SelfridgeC. Selfridge   Moyola Park Golf Club	E	F *	E	72			72
T50	Marco PengeM. Penge   Golf at Goodwood	E	F *	E	72			72
T50	Ben HallB. Hall   Spurk Golf	E	F *	E	72			72
T50	Warren HarmstonW. Harmston   Wentworth Golf Club	E	F	E	72			72
T50	Neil RaymondN. Raymond   Corhampton Golf Club	E	F	E	72			72
T50	Mark YoungM. Young   Longridge Golf Club	E	F	E	72			72
T50	Daniel Whitby-SmithD. Whitby-Smith   Whittington Heath Golf Club	E	F	E	72			72
T50	Simon ThorntonS. Thornton   Tulfarris Hotel & Golf Resort	E	F	E	72			72
T50	Kevin PhelanK. Phelan   Waterford Castle	E	F	E	72			72
T50	Niall KearneyN. Kearney   The Royal Dublin Golf Club	E	F	E	72			72
T50	Alan SutherlandA. Sutherland   The Dukes St Andrews	E	F	E	72			72
T50	Ryan CampbellR. Campbell   Falkirk Golf Club	E	F	E	72			72
T50	Michael StewartM. Stewart   Troon Welbeck Golf Club	E	F *	E	72			72
T50	Tim RiceT. Rice   Limerick Golf Club	E	F *	E	72			72
T50	Gareth EvansG. Evans   Wrexham Golf Club	E	F	E	72			72
T74	Tom Sloman (a)T. Sloman (a)   GOLFING4LIFE	+1	F *	+1	73			73
T74	Chris GaneC. Gane   Lefthandedgolf at Silvermere	+1	F	+1	73			73
T74	Liam HancockL. Hancock   Leek Golf Club	+1	F *	+1	73			73
T74	Tom GandyT. Gandy   Rowany Golf Club	+1	F	+1	73			73
T74	Steven QuinlanS. Quinlan   Halpenny Golf	+1	F *	+1	73			73
T74	Michael SaundersM. Saunders   Dartford Golf Club	+1	F *	+1	73			73
T74	Paul McFerranP. McFerran   Warrington Golf Club	+1	F	+1	73			73
T74	James SimpsonJ. Simpson   Whickham Golf Club	+1	F	+1	73			73
T74	James FrazerJ. Frazer   Pennard Golf Club	+1	F *	+1	73			73
T74	Jeroen KrietemeijerJ. Krietemeijer   The Netherlands	+1	F	+1	73			73
T74	Owen Crooks (a)O. Crooks (a)   Bushfoot Golf Club	+1	F	+1	73			73
T74	Nial KearnsN. Kearns   Omagh Golf Club	+1	F *	+1	73			73
T74	Kamran ZeynalovK. Zeynalov   Portlethen Golf Club	+1	F *	+1	73			73
T74	Sam WhiteheadS. Whitehead   Woburn Golf Club	+1	F	+1	73			73
T74	James FreemanJ. Freeman   Retford Golf Club	+1	F	+1	73			73
T89	Robbie BusherR. Busher   Salisbury and South Wilts	+2	F	+2	74			74
T89	James RooneyJ. Rooney   West Lancashire Golf Club	+2	F *	+2	74			74
T89	Jack ColegateJ. Colegate   Rochester & Cobham Park GC	+2	F *	+2	74			74
T89	Ben RobinsonB. Robinson   Worcester GCC	+2	F *	+2	74			74
T89	Colm CrowleyC. Crowley   Pinergy	+2	F	+2	74			74
T89	Jack YuleJ. Yule   King’s Lynn Golf Club	+2	F *	+2	74			74
T89	Thomas RobsonT. Robson   Parkstone Golf Club	+2	F *	+2	74			74
T89	David BooteD. Boote   Walton Heath Golf Club	+2	F	+2	74			74
T89	James MawJ. Maw   Rockliffe Hall	+2	F *	+2	74			74
T89	Alan DunbarA. Dunbar   Elm Rock Golf Club	+2	F	+2	74			74
T89	Luke TurbuttL. Turbutt   Kings Norton Golf Club	+2	F	+2	74			74
T89	Greg PayneG. Payne   Camberley Heath Golf Club/WRSM	+2	F *	+2	74			74
T89	Stephen McCarthyS. McCarthy   Black Bush Golf Club	+2	F	+2	74			74
T89	Brendan McCarrollB. McCarroll   West Cliffs Golf Links	+2	F *	+2	74			74
T89	Alex LodgeA. Lodge   Azego: The Component People	+2	F *	+2	74			74
T89	Mark RamsdaleM. Ramsdale   Formby Golf Club	+2	F	+2	74			74
T89	Cameron RaymondC. Raymond   Unattached	+2	F	+2	74			74
T89	Sandeep GrewalS. Grewal   Global Baggage Solutions	+2	F *	+2	74			74
T89	Jake AyresJ. Ayres   Stoke Park Golf Club	+2	F	+2	74			74
T89	Daniel GavinsD. Gavins   Howley Hall Golf Club	+2	F	+2	74			74
T89	Will BrownW. Brown   Cumberwell Park Golf Club	+2	F	+2	74			74
T110	Peter FinchP. Finch   P2 putters	+3	F	+3	75			75
T110	Stephen CroninS. Cronin   Burhill Golf Club	+3	F *	+3	75			75
T110	Joe KellyJ. Kelly   Unattached	+3	F	+3	75			75
T110	Mitchel SarlingM. Sarling   Boyce Hill Golf Club	+3	F	+3	75			75
T110	Sam McCarthyS. McCarthy   Lifestyle Financial	+3	F *	+3	75			75
T110	Paul ShieldsP. Shields   Paul Lawrie Golf Centre	+3	F	+3	75			75
T110	Reeve WhitsonR. Whitson   Royal County Down Golf Club	+3	F *	+3	75			75
T110	Ben BrewsterB. Brewster   Wheatley Golf Club	+3	F *	+3	75			75
T110	Sam DayS. Day   Unattached	+3	F	+3	75			75
T110	Sam ForganS. Forgan   Stowmarket Golf Club/ ISEKI	+3	F	+3	75			75
T110	Mark MurphyM. Murphy   Mount Wolseley Golf Resort	+3	F *	+3	75			75
T110	James TavernerJ. Taverner   Hendon Golf Club	+3	F *	+3	75			75
T122	Freddie PriceF. Price   Elite Golf Academy/RBGC	+4	F	+4	76			76
T122	Enda McLoughlinE. McLoughlin   P2 Putter Grips	+4	F	+4	76			76
T122	Brian Doheny   Callan Golf Club	+4	F *	+4	76			76
T122	Sam Connor   Alsager Golf & Country Club	+4	F	+4	76			76
T122	Ryan O'Neill   Penwortham Golf Club	+4	F *	+4	76			76
T122	Daniel Young   Kingsbarns Pro Academy	+4	F *	+4	76			76
T122	Matthew Tottey   North Wales Golf Club	+4	F	+4	76			76
T122	Lloyd Saltman   Renaissance Club	+4	F	+4	76			76
T122	Adam StoneA. Stone   Lancaster Golf Club	+4	F *	+4	76			76
T131	John Brady (a)J. Brady (a)   Tulfarris Hotel & Golf Resort	+5	F *	+5	77			77
T131	Morgan JacksonM. Jackson   Welcombe Golf Club Hotel & Spa	+5	F *	+5	77			77
T131	John Duff   Newmachar Golf Club	+5	F *	+5	77			77
T131	Josh HilleardJ. Hilleard   Farrington Park/G4L	+5	F *	+5	77			77
T131	Jamie BowerJ. Bower   Meltham Golf Club	+5	F	+5	77			77
T131	Andrew CheeseA. Cheese   Sutton Coldfield Golf Club	+5	F *	+5	77			77
T131	Rocco SanjustR. Sanjust   Fattoria Petrolo	+5	F *	+5	77			77
T131	Joe HeratyJ. Heraty   Strike Sports	+5	F *	+5	77			77
T131	Jake HamiltonJ. Hamilton   Huddersfield Golf Club	+5	F *	+5	77			77
T131	James WilkinsonJ. Wilkinson   Penrith Golf & FootGolf / PBM	+5	F	+5	77			77
T141	Sean Towndrow   S and A GC Golfing4Life	+6	F	+6	78			78
T141	Connor Worsdall   The Essex Golf and Country Club	+6	F *	+6	78			78
T141	James AllanJ. Allan   Chelmsford Golf Club	+6	F	+6	78			78
T141	Scott Houghton   First Class Motors LTD	+6	F	+6	78			78
T141	Stiggy Hodgson   The Wisley Golf Club	+6	F *	+6	78			78
T146	Mark Whelan   Allied Pension Trustees	+7	F *	+7	79			79
T146	Asa PhillipsA. Phillips   Badgemore Park	+7	F *	+7	79			79
148	Peter RedmondP. Redmond   Unattached	+8	F *	+8	80			80
149	Thomas O'Neill   Tulfarris golf club	+13	F	+13	85			85
150	Adam Kerr   County Armagh Golf Club	+15	F	+15	87			87
MISSED THE CUT
RTD	Sam RobertshaweS. Robertshawe   The Army GC/Puttenham Constr.	+6	12 *	+6	54			54
RTD	Patrick BluntP. Blunt   Buckinghamshire Golf Club	+8	12	+8	55			55

* denotes a 10th hole start