Irish PGA Championship and European Masters: The weather gods may not have smiled on him but the deities that appear to control the fate of professional golfers continue to look benignly on Kilkenny's Gary Murphy.

Heavy morning rain that lasted throughout his round did not prevent the 30-year-old from carding seven birdies and just one bogey in a course-record 66 that took him from two over par overnight to four under.

In the end it was good enough to leave him one stroke adrift of defending champion Paul McGinley at the halfway stage, with former British Amateur champion Michael Hoey and Waterville's David Higgins just two off the lead on three under after rounds of 70 and 73, respectively.

Just as Murphy was posting his score, McGinley emerged from the clubhouse into brilliant sunshine and took advantage to shoot a four-under-par 68 to take a one-shot lead over Murphy heading into the weekend.

"You're rich and lucky, Paul," joked Murphy as McGinley strode off to begin his second round. But after his round the Ryder Cup hero was full of praise for Murphy's sensational effort in dire weather that only let up occasionally during his round.

He said: "Gary's score this morning in the rain was superb. It really was spectacular to shoot 66 in those weather conditions. We certainly had the best of it this afternoon and 68 is a pretty good score around here."

Murphy is determined to take advantage of his round by adding his name to the list of greats who have etched their name on the famous old silver trophy.

He said: "I really wanted to play here. I want to win tournaments and if you look at the cup there are a lot of great names on it and I want to be on there too.

"It's a kind of a club with the Irish professionals and I'd like to be able to say that I have won the Irish Amateur and Irish Professional titles."

Murphy's only win in the paid ranks came in 1997 when the won the Asian Tour School.

Six behind overnight leader David Higgins starting the day, he missed just two greens in regulation and holed putt after putt in a controlled display.

McGinley carded six birdies and two bogeys in a round that contained matching nines of 34. But he believes that he will have to improve his scoring if he is to take the title for the fourth time.

Hoey continued his resurgence with six birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey in a two-under-par 70 to join Higgins on three under, after the Waterville player shot 73.