New DP World Tour star John Murphy one step closer to Ryder Cup dream

New DP World Tour card-holder John Murphy has the dream that every young Irish golfer has: to play for the European Ryder Cup team at Adare Manor in 2027.

Speaking exclusively to GolfMagic, Murphy spoke about the lingering thought of playing for Team Europe at the venue at which he participated in the JP McManus Pro-Am earlier this year.

But the 24-year-old from Cork knows he had to do much to complete the first stage of his dream of becoming a DP World Tour player, which he accomplished in dramatic fashion in the last stage of Q-School in Infinitum, Spain.

With 12 holes left of the last of six rounds in Tarragona, Murphy was six shots away from the score he needed to earn a place alongside the likes of Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Shane Lowry on the main Tour.

He stepped up to the plate and went on to card a bogey-free score of 6-under. Starting on the back nine, Murphy made four birdies in the second half of his round to seal the deal, reaching 17-under and tied 23rd which was enough for qualification.

"There were a couple of points where myself and my caddie talked about it," Murphy said.

"We were so patient all week, we tried to keep ourselves in the tournament all week and then even when things weren't happening - with about 12 holes to go, I got a nice break on the 16th which was my 12th-last hole and I ended up making birdie.

"Then I suppose, it just went on from there. (On) the 3rd hole, I was 3-under and I had six holes to go and the 3rd hole was one I laid up on all week. It's not drivable but you can get it to the front edge and give yourself an easy birdie.

"I turned to Shane (O'Connell, his caddie) and I said 'I think it's time to attack' and yeah, I thankfully managed to make three birdies in the last six holes and sometimes, things just feel right and they're meant to happen and I certainly had that feeling coming to the last few holes."

So far in the 2022/2023 season, Murphy has missed the cut at the Joburg Open and the Investec South African Championship, but this wasn't without two sub-70 rounds and signs of promise.

The man from Kinsale arrives on Tour with an impressive amateur pedigree. While representing the University of Louisville between 2017 and 2021, he won four NCAA events and won the Byron Nelson award in 2020.

He is teeing it up this week at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and will head to Mauritius for the final event of 2022 next week too. Murphy is no stranger to competing under pressure on the DP World Tour, with his first taste coming at last year's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

The Irishman came tied ninth, six shots behind eventual winner and former Masters champion Danny Willett. Four months later, he made his debut on the PGA Tour at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

In his short but packed career so far, Murphy has played in front of a home crowd at the Irish Open and represented Great Britain and Ireland at the Walker Cup, which was his last event as an amateur in 2021.

But the JP McManus Pro-Am back in July, an event that attracted the likes of Tiger Woods, Scottie Scheffler and basically every top player on the planet, was Murphy's career highlight so far.

"They were so unique in their own sense (playing Adare Manor and Pebble Beach). The PGA Tour, that in itself was a dream come true. I suppose having the group I did made it incredibly special, to get to play with Seamus Power when he was leading by five shots after two rounds," he added.

"And the JP McManus was so enjoyable, to have all the Irish people around out there. That was incredible - Irish crowds are incredible and the passion that Irish people have for sports - to play like that in front of a crowd at the JP McManus Pro-Am, with 40,000 people there, it was certainly a unique experience.

"The JP McManus Pro-Am trumped every experience I've had so far in terms of enjoyment on the golf course, it's something I won't be forgetting in a hurry.

"There's been times where I've got to hear from Shane (Lowry) and I got to spend a bit of time with Padraig Harrington at Adare Manor. I think when I'm in that environment, I keep my mouth shut and just listen.

"I love learning from people - obviously I'm not trying to do exactly what Shane does or exactly what Padraig does as everyone has different approaches and attitudes, but the more advice you can take from guys like that who have accomplished things, who have been there.

"It's good to get recognition from them, (it) is a big compliment and it's good to know that I suppose I'm on the map and you are recognised as a player that is on the radar."

In five years, the spectacular golf estate in County Limerick will host the Ryder Cup. It will be the first Irish venue to host the match between Europe and USA since The K Club in 2006.

This event was Murphy's first memory of golf when he was a child and it produced some poignant moments in the history of the Ryder Cup, including images of an emotional Darren Clarke who was competing just six weeks after the sad death of his wife Heather.

While playing in the Walker Cup at Seminole Golf Club last year, Murphy spent time with former European captain and playing hero Paul McGinley who led the home side to victory at Gleneagles in 2014.

The matches to be held at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club next September will likely come too soon for Murphy who is yet to find his feet on the DP World Tour, but he admits the 2027 Ryder Cup is a thought that lingers in his mind from time to time.

"My first golfing memory was watching the 2006 Ryder Cup - and growing up when I was young, my dream was to be a Tour player and to play on a winning Ryder Cup team.

"I suppose now that I've come a lot closer to that goal than I ever probably envisaged, it's certainly something that will be in the back of my mind driving down the motorway, it certainly something pops into my head.

"To be able to play in that, to compete in front of a home crowd at an event of that magnitude would be incredible.

"I think Adare Manor is a pretty special place so I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a dream of mine, but at the same time, I've done a really good job, in the last few years, of just trying to take care of things in the moment."

Murphy has earned his card at arguably the best time in DP World Tour (European Tour) history as the 2023 season will feature more than $144 million in prize money.

The schedule will feature 39 tournaments in 26 countries and members will earn a minimum of $150,000 if they compete in at least 15 tournaments.

Much like the cash injection on the PGA Tour that was announced in August, the DP World Tour season has essentially been enhanced to combat the rise of the LIV Golf Series.

Like so many of his European colleagues such as McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick, Murphy said prize money isn't his primary thought as he looks to establish himself on one of the world's premier tours.

"I try not to pay attention to prize money because at the end of the day, I just want to stick to my process and try to get better. But the opportunities that we're provided with on the DP World Tour are incredible," he said.

"There are not too many people that get the opportunity to make money playing golf and I'm lucky that I am one of those people - I'm incredibly grateful for that.

"I don't want to keep referring to the fact that it was my dream but there are very few people on this planet who actually get to do what they love for a living.

"For that to be my job, I consider myself to be very lucky and it gives me more motivation to keep working hard and trying to improve."