Murphy facing match point in Spain

Gary Murphy confessed that he only has himself to blame as he battles to retain his European Tour card.

The Kilkenny man is €13,086 outside the top 115 in the money list who will qualify for the 2010 Race to Dubai and a top performance in this week’s Castellon Masters near Valencia is crucial.

The only problem is that this could be his last chance saloon.

If he doesn’t finish inside the top 10, 119th ranked Murphy’s season will effectively be over as he is too far down the rankings to qualify for the next two events in Singapore and Hong Kong.

Murphy said: "Anything is possible in this game because if I play well this week and finish top-10 I'm into Singapore, and then a top-five in Singapore would get me into Hong Kong.

"Finishing fourth in Madrid was lovely and that’s what I really need this week."

Murphy missed the cut by a stroke in last week’s Portugal Masters despite making a last gasp dash for the line with five birdies in his last seven holes on Friday.

He said: "Last week’s course in Portugal was a bomber’s course and though I didn’t putt well on the Friday, this course and Madrid would seem to suit my game better.

"My form is good and I’m nearly 40-under for my last four tournaments, and besides form is something that just doesn’t desert you overnight.

"I’m not making any excuses for the situation I’m in and I know if I play well this week I should be in decent shape."

Spain’s Sergio Garcia is promoting the event but there are just three Irishmen battling for the €333,330 top prize.

Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke will trying to qualify for the season-ending Dubai World Championship.

Only the top 60 in the Race to Dubai rankings will qualify and while Clarke is  64th, McGinley is more than €175,000 off the pace in 100th place.

"I’ve played some good golf recently but I haven’t been able to convert it into a big finish,” McGinley said. “The last fews weeks have been encouraging so it’s looking positive."