Murray beats his nerves – and the financial blues – with a bumper pay-day while Warren must rue £64,000 question

GEORGE Murray headed straight for The Jigger Inn to enjoy his career-best performance last night, but fellow Scot Marc Warren’s celebrations were likely to have been bitter-sweet.

Murray, a 28-year-old from Anstruther, wiped away his money worries by picking up a cheque for £174,104 as he finished in a tie for third in the Dunhill Links Championship. It hoisted him from 180th to 87th in the Race to Dubai and secured his European Tour card for another season in one fell swoop.

Warren also made a significant leap up the money-list, rising 50 places to 105th after he recaptured the form that has seen him win twice on the European Tour to tie for fifth in the pro-am event. But the 30-year-old from East Kilbride let £64,000 slip from his grasp when he dropped a shot at the last, where his eight-foot par putt lipped out.

Playing in the group behind, Murray fared better at the 72nd hole, making a safe par-4, to round off a fairytale week on his own doorstep. A Challenge Tour graduate this season, the former Scottish Amateur champion had earned £64,000 prior to this event and looked certain to be facing a visit to the Qualifying School in December.

However, Murray found his putting touch – he’s been working with Jim Farmer, the renowned St Andrews professional, to try and improve that side of his game – at the perfect time and, despite being under enormous pressure, the Fifer dug deep to stay in contention on the final circuit.

He shared the lead momentarily after going out in 31 to move to 18-under then reeled off nine straight par figures coming home to well and truly eclipse his previous-best performance – third place in last year’s Madeira Island Open, where his cheque was for £37,635.

“I’m still shaking and I haven’t felt my forearms since the first hole,” said Murray, who admitted that he had been “lucky” to have Luke Donald, the world No 1, and Jamie Redknapp, the former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder, as his playing partners on such a nerve-wracking day.

“When I stood on the first tee and the announcer said world No 1 Luke Donald, and then he hit it down the middle, then I thought: ‘Oh no, it’s me!’ The forearms just went to gravy, but I managed to get it round petty good,” he added.

“I wasn’t really thinking about my card, I was thinking about trying to win as I know the courses well. But hopefully it’ll keep my card and I can settle in to have a good year next year. In the meantime, it’ll be a great night. I’ve got a flight at 12 tomorrow to Madrid, but think I could struggle to make that!”

Asked if he planned to splash out some of his prize-money on anything special, last year’s Scottish Hydro Challenge winner summed up how this could be a career-changing display when he added: “I’m due my mum £5,000, so I’d better give that back to her.” Warren, who lost his full playing privileges on the European Tour at the end of last year and has been relying on invitations, has also taken a giant stride towards earning a permanent place back at the top table, but will be hoping that that last-hole slip which saw his approach shot end up in the Valley of Sin will not come back to haunt him.

“I’m pleased with the way I played all 18 holes. I hit good drive at 18 and a good second shot,” said the man who joined forces with Colin Montgomerie to give Scotland a World Cup win four years ago. “I was playing to hit it past the flag to give myself the chance of birdie.

“[Playing partner] Padraig [Harrington] looked at it side-on and thought I’d hit it too hard. It was my only bogey of the weekend, so I can’t ask for more than that.”

Warren, who had earlier ignited his challenge with three birdies in a row from the 12th before shaving the edge of the hole with a 25-footer birdie attempt at the 17th, added: “I felt pressurised when Padraig asked me on the 16th what my situation was with regard to my card.

“It was at the back of my mind, not the front, and I felt really calm. That putt on 17 was huge. If that had gone in who knows. Hopefully next week [in the Madrid Masters], I can secure my card.

“Finishing 11th at Gleneagles [in the Johnnie Walker Championship] got me through the 100,000 euro mark, which was important, and now this is my biggest cheque for a while.”