Kilkenny cat Gary Murphy is on the prowl in the Open after a first round 73 that left him as the leading Irishman.

The 30 year old, who only got into the event because of his fourth place finish at Loch Lomond, left the superstars in the shade.

Padraig Harrington and Daren Clarke took 75 and Paul McGinley dropped three shots on the last two holes for a 77.

It could have been even better for Murphy but he dropped a shot at the last to end the day on a sour note.

He said: “I’m disappointed that I hacked my way up the last but other than that I was very pleased.

“It was very very blowy and some of the greens were tricky but I hit the ball fantastically well.

“If you are not in play it is still hard to make bogey and that’s what’s really demanding. On a lot of holes a bogey is a really good score.”

Murphy hit three birdies and five bogeys in a two over par round on a course he rated the most difficult he has ever played.

He beamed: “My putting was around par but ball striking was around seven or eight under par.

“I’ve got an early start tomorrow morning at 6.30 and hopefully if I can get the sleep out of my eyes I will play well.

“There are a couple of tricky pins positions and when you are hitting three or four irons and trying to get them to stop it is difficult.

“I was disappointed to drop a shot on the last but I blocked my drive right into the hay and turned over my second and couldn’t get it up and down.”

Murphy birdied the second when he hit a wedge to 15 feet and picked up further shots at the seventh and 16th.

He even hit the hole from 185 yards at the 15th before floating a gentle four-iron to three feet for a two at the 163 yard 16th.

His mood was a totally contrast to McGinley who finished bogey-double-bogey to undo all his hard work.

The Ryder Cup hero had four birdies, six bogeys and two double bogeys in his 77.

He said: “It’s been as tough a day as I have ever played golf. The golf course was really tough. I battled really well and gave it all away at the 18th.”

McGinley got a free drop form a tent, dropped it in a bad lie and hit his second into a grandstand.

The he duffed his third before chipping on a missing a short putt for his bogey.

He added: “The golf course is unbelievably difficult with the weather conditions on top, tough pin positions and high rough you are going to have high scores.

“My game was fine but I threw away four shots. A 72 or 73 would have been a great score and I played well enough to shoot that but I threw it away.”

Just two over par after a birdie on the 13th, a double bogey at the 14th signalled the beginning of the end for the Dubliner.

He explained: “I was hitting a five-iron lay-up and hit it in the ditch that crosses the fairway. I couldn’t get home in four and didn’t get up and down from 50 yards.”

He recovered with a two at the par three 16th but finished miserably.

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© Brian Keogh 2003

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