Murphy leads Irish challenge in Paris
John Murphy. Picture courtesy: Pat Cashman
Alps Tour — Kinsale’s John Murphy continued his good run of form when opened with a one under 71 to lie just five shots off the lead in the €45,000 Open Golf Clement Ader Paris.
Tied for 20th in last week's French International Amateur Open at Chantilly, 18-year-old Murphy was two over par after seven holes but rallied by coming home in three-under 33.
Course owner Thomas O'Driscoll is becoming a pied piper for young Irish amateurs hoping for a taste of professional golf, but Murphy was the only one of the 14 Irish taking part to break par.
He's tied for eighth and ironically five strokes behind another amateur in Spain's Adria Arnaus, whose six-under 66 gave him a one-stroke lead over France's Ugo Coussaud.
Mallow's Edward Walsh is the next bet on two over, tied for 32nd after a 74.
The rest of the Irish brigade are outside the top-40 and ties who will make the cut on Friday with Walsh's clubmate James Sugrue tied 67th after a 77.
Naas' Robert Brazill tweaked an old elbow injury playing from the rough on the 13th and was forced to retire immediately.
Open Golf Clement Ader Paris (Par 72)
T8 John MURPHY (Am) -1 71
T32 Edward WALSH (Am) +2 74
T67 James SUGRUE (Am) +5 77, Owen CROOKS (Am) +5 77
T81 Tommy O'DRISCOLL +6 78; Patrick BRENNAN (Am) +6 78
T92 Alan FAHY (Am) +7 79; Jonathan YATES (Am) +7 79
T104 Ross KELLY (Am) +8 80
T113 Luke DONNELLY (Am) +9 81
T128 Oisin O'DRISCOLL (Am) +11 83
T138 Dylan O'DRISCOLL (Am) +17 89
140 Eamonn O'DRISCOLL (Am) +18 90
RTD Robert BRAZILL (Am) - RTD
