Gary Murphy is on course to secure his tour card for next season after an excellent start to the Mallorca Classic this morning.

The top 118 players on the money list on Sunday evening retain their cards and Murphy currently occupies the 118th and final place. But the Kilkenny man gave himself every chance of surviving a nerve-shredding week in Spain having taken the clubhouse lead with a four-under-par 66.

With his nearest rival on the order of merit, David Carter, struggling at two-over, Murphy will be hoping for more of the same tomorrow to seal his playing rights for the new season, which gets underway as early as three weeks time.

"It's horrible out there," admitted Murphy, who has missed his last four halfway cuts. "You try not to dwell on your situation but it's not to be confused with enjoyable.

"I probably concentrated a little better today and maybe that's what I've not been doing enough this year."

Padraig Harrington's attempt to top the order of merit is faltering however, as he stands at seven-over after a 77.

Of the remaining Irish competing, Stephen Browne and Michael Hoey look unlikely to secure automatic qualification. Both need, at least, to be among the frontrunners come Sunday but today's rounds of 76 and 71 respectively, appear to have thwarted any slim hopes they had.

David Higgins also needs to show some form here as he bids to move out of 127th on the money list, but on eight-over par he has it all to do to make the cut, let alone move into the top 118.

Damien McGrane has no such worries and is closest to Murphy after a round of 70. Paul McGinley is also safe though today's 75 belies that reality.