After Monday qualifying for his first
Web.com Tour event but missing the cut last week, Antonio Murdaca is wasting no
time getting back on the horse, jumping on a plane for France and this week’s
Challenge Tour event in France.

Murdaca has no status on any Tour outside
Australia but is not sitting on his laurels waiting for playing opportunities
to come.

Having joined the stable of influential
player manager Chubby Chandler last year, Murdaca will likely earn sporadic
Challenge Tour invites and is looking to make the most of them when they come.

While the eyes of the world will be on
Oakmont this week, Murdaca will be trying to emulate the feats of New Zealand’s
Ryan Fox who played his first Challenge Tour event here 12 months ago.

With no official status, Fox finished T5 to
earn his way into the following week’s event then parlayed some good play into
a full Challenge Tour exemption and eventually a victory.

Fox is back again this week, he and Murdaca
part of a six strong Australasian assault.

Also teeing up are Nick Cullen, Terry
Pilkadaris, Daniel Gaunt, and David Bransdon.

Cullen comes into the week looking to build
momentum after a brilliant performance at the Lyoness Open last week, his T10
finish earning him a start at next week’s BMW International Open.

David Bransdon, too, played some good golf
last week before fading in the final two rounds and will be looking to cash a
decent cheque this week as he has slipped to 72 on the Order of Merit.

The top-15 earners at the end of the season
will be awarded full European Tour cards, Daniel Gaunt the pick of the
Australasians so far at 49^th on the list.