Post a reply

Shaun Murphy taking up golf

Postby SnookerFan

MURPHY ENTERS OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING

2005 World Champion Shaun Murphy will temporarily swap the baize for the links later this month, as he launches an ambitious bid to qualify for golf’s 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

In his spare time, Murphy has managed to obtain a scratch golf handicap. That means he is eligible to enter qualifying for this year’s Open Championship as an amateur. The 36-year-old will tee it up in the regional event at County Louth on June 24th.

We caught up with Triple Crown winner Murphy, to look ahead to his debut in one of golf’s greatest tournaments…

Shaun, what is it that made you want to try your hand at Open Championship qualifying?

“I caddied for one of my friends, Graham Neville, a few years ago at Open qualifying. He got to the final stages and was playing in the group ahead of former US Open winner Michael Campbell. That was a fantastic experience. I thought it would be nice to have a go myself, just to say I had played in it. It is very hard to maintain a scratch handicap whilst having a full time snooker career, a young family and all the rest of it. I won’t be off scratch for much longer so I thought I should take my opportunity while I am still eligible.”

What do you think your chances of progressing are?

“It isn’t beyond the realms of possibility that I could go out there and shoot level par and get through to the final stage of qualifying. That would be extremely unlikely, but I have done it before. My best round of golf is four under par.

“If I even managed to progress to the next stage it would be crazy really. There are some amazing players in those final qualifiers and I would feel like a bit of an imposter, but I’m only 18 holes away. It is all a bit tongue in cheek and a bit of a laugh, but this will be a fantastic experience. I think the one thing I do have going for me is that I already have a full time job. Golf isn’t my livelihood. Relative to the other players I will be playing against, it doesn’t really matter to me if I win or lose. I won’t be under the pressure they are under. Most of them are trying to win the Open Championship. I am just trying to have a good day out. I could knock it round in anything from 68 to 108!”

Do you think your experience of climbing the mountain in snooker and becoming a World Champion will help you out at all?

“My experiences on the snooker tour certainly give me a bit of an inside track of what goes on inside these player’s minds when they are walking down the final fairway of a major tournament. In some ways, I would say that the mental side of snooker is more difficult. We don’t have a caddy out there with us. When you are in a deciding frame at Alexandra Palace, you are out there on your own. There is nobody to whisper sweet nothings in your ear, snooker is truly a single person sport. I know that my mentality won’t be what lets me down, it will be my lack of ability!”

Was there ever any point where you had to make a decision between pursuing snooker or golf for your career?

“Well there was never a career crossover point as such, but once I turned 17 and started driving it did become all too easy for me to sneak off to the golf course. There was a bit of an emergency meeting called with my sponsors, friends and family. I was playing far too much golf and it definitely cost me a few results. I obviously managed to reel things in after that.”

Can you see many technical similarities between golf and snooker?

“There are some quite staggering similarities. Even to the point that when I was a young boy growing up there were some golf training techniques that I brought into my snooker, things like timing exercises and drills. The fact that it is a still ball game, you have to impart the spin and you have to move the ball. Those parts are identical. Most snooker players make good putters as well. We are used to looking at a perfectly flat six by 12 foot area of green baize. When it comes to a putting green, any breaks or variations tend to stick out like a sore thumb.”

How much are you looking forward to teeing off at County Louth in two weeks’ time?

“Well the Open Championship is one of those perennials. Much like the World Snooker Championship, when it is on that is it and you get totally consumed by it. I love everything about it, the fact that it is played on links courses make it even more special as well. Links golf is the original test and challenge. I can’t wait to get out there.”

http://www.worldsnooker.com/murphy-ente ... ualifying/

Re: Shaun Murphy taking up golf

Postby Iranu

bucks sake Shaun <doh>

It really does seem like he has no interest or confidence in being a top snooker player anymore, doesn’t it?

Re: Shaun Murphy taking up golf

Postby Lemnas

SnookerFan wrote:The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) has today announced that Shaun Murphy has taken the decision to step down from the Board of Directors and his role of Chairman of the Players Commission with immediate effect.

The former world champion was elected to the WPBSA board in December 2017 and has made a valuable contribution since his appointment, however, has now decided that the time is right to focus on his successful playing career.


They meant playing golf...

Re: Shaun Murphy taking up golf

Postby SnookerFan

Lemnas wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) has today announced that Shaun Murphy has taken the decision to step down from the Board of Directors and his role of Chairman of the Players Commission with immediate effect.

The former world champion was elected to the WPBSA board in December 2017 and has made a valuable contribution since his appointment, however, has now decided that the time is right to focus on his successful playing career.


They meant playing golf...


rofl

Re: Shaun Murphy taking up golf

Postby SnookerFan

A lot of the snooker pros are obsessed with golf. Was never quite sure why.

Murphy said he saw similarities in the interview above.

Re: Shaun Murphy taking up golf

Postby The_Abbott

He should also take up Tennis to complete the set of much talked about sports on Snooker Island.

Re: Shaun Murphy taking up golf

Postby Iranu

How long will it take him to start moaning on about some anti-divot technology?

Re: Shaun Murphy taking up golf

Postby Ash147

Iranu wrote:How long will it take him to start moaning on about some anti-divot technology?


You're a divot.

Re: Shaun Murphy taking up golf

Postby SnookerFan

Royal Portrush Golf Club is a private golf club in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The 36-hole club has two links courses, the Dunluce Links (the championship course) and the Valley Links. The former is one of the courses on the Open championship rota and will next host the tournament in 2019.

In 1951, Royal Portrush hosted the Open Championship, the oldest of golf's major championships; the only Open not held on the island of Great Britain. The Open will return to Portrush in 2019, and will host twice more by 2040.[1] It also hosted the Irish Open in 2012, the first in Northern Ireland since 1953.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Portrush_Golf_Club

Re: Shaun Murphy taking up golf

Postby Godot

Iranu wrote:bucks sake Shaun <doh>

It really does seem like he has no interest or confidence in being a top snooker player anymore, doesn’t it?

Shaun is one of those guys that has always had more going on than just pro snooker, but his off-baize activities are really affecting his game now. Starting to see parallels with Shaun's career and Ken Doherty's deterioration circa 2007.

Re: Shaun Murphy taking up golf

Postby SnookerFan

Badsnookerplayer wrote:Good luck to him.

Might surprise everybody and win it like in 2005



rofl

To be fair to him, I don't hold any ill will to him for this. If he's really that good at golf, take the opportunity.

I do however see it as a statement of how seriously he's taking snooker at the moment. Especially considering his commentary shenanigans at The Crucible.

Re: Shaun Murphy taking up golf

Postby TheSaviour

A densely wooded canvas of eucalyptus, chestnut, pine and CORK trees interrupted by tracks of barren moorland. A welcome change from beaches and villas ??

On-only in Portugal, mate. O-on-only in Algarve, mate. A vaste swathe of golden sand in set against dramatic multicoloured cliffs.

And according to legend, if you take a sip from the fountain of love, you´ll fall in love with love. The golf are said to be good for digestive disorders and skin complaints.

Lively, colorful and cheerful. It´s easygoing atmosphere draws in a predominantly young crowd.

Mashed potatoes and frango assado com Piri-Piri and perhaps even sardines at their plumpest during summer.

So.... Even Rene Murphy will never ever again complaint about needing to run and so to "spamming the streets", eh eh eh, with the once-infamous busses and other big vehicles. So he will never again complain needing to "spam", eh eh, with those? And so all us will be having a solid and no-promises at all the rest of our lives?

Sounds pretty decent.

Talking about why on earth "working" with those once so infamous a FEW elderly people? Who, like we all known for years already, has always had completely unknownto all purpouses?? Talking about making absolutely no sense anymore now when now it should be very much required??

But, however, a long, long evening and a night now to look forward to hear those truly hilarious jokes...??

Rite.

Just have a wide smile, even for a once.

Eh, eh, eh, he ha haa... :phew: :clap: :pal: <doh> :lol:

Re: Shaun Murphy taking up golf

Postby gallantrabbit

Ne ver my favorite snooker player but my least favourite commentator EVER!!
Have seen a video of him playing golf though and he's decent.

Re: Shaun Murphy taking up golf

Postby Ck147

HappyCamper wrote:murphy finished 12 over par at county louth in ireland and so failed to qualify.


Sounds a lot like his last snooker season, ha ha

Re: Shaun Murphy taking up golf

Postby SnookerFan

Dan-cat wrote:12 over !

Ouch.


I mean, that's not outrageously bad for somebody who just plays golf for fun. Nowhere near pro level, obviously.

Though, I guess if he's entering a pro-tournament he should be judged by professional standards.