The San Francisco Chronicle - March 17, 2003
Murphy stands tall at 'City'
- Brian Murphy, Chronicle Staff Writer

A sturdy wind blasted through the final few holes at Lincoln Park on Sunday, whipping up whitecaps beyond the Golden Gate Bridge and blowing the round of 32 of the San Francisco City Golf Championships every which way.

You had comebacks in the Men's Championship Flight of the tournament, as three different players -- Orinda's Jim Williams, UC Davis freshman Brett Viboch and Berkeley's Mark Arneson -- overcame 3-down deficits. You had drama - - including Dan Koehn of Oakland's 20-hole win over Saratoga High's Matt Marshall, and Stanford-bound Zack Miller's 1-up win over the Olympic Club's John Enright.

And you had the traveling show that is top-seed Mark Murphy of Ireland and his can't-miss game. For the second consecutive day, Murphy was all the buzz at Lincoln, mostly because he did his imitation of a buzz saw again in a 7-and- 6 win over Mill Valley doctor Al Oppenheim that was big on style points.

Checking Murphy's first two results on the clubhouse wall, including a 7- and-5 win Saturday, Burlingame's Brandon McNally, himself on to Saturday's round of 16, chuckled: "Looks like Murphy's having a tough time of it, huh?"

What Murphy -- known as "The Muppet" in his hometown of Waterville, County Kerry -- is having is an unadulterated blast. He's cutting a grand figure out at Lincoln in his bright yellow polo shirt with a shamrock over the left breast, drawing a minor gallery of slack-jawed admirers, all the while chatting about the high points of Saturday night's episode of the Irish sitcom "Father Ted" on BBC America. His caddie, pal and room-and-board provider, San Francisco lawyer Andrew Zacks, just lets Murphy chat away, and keeps handing him his putter.

Worked out nicely that Sunday night's pre-St. Patrick's Day festivities would give Murphy a chance to celebrate even more richly.

"I'll be looking forward to letting my hair down tonight," Murphy said in his Kerry accent. "And having a few scoops with the boys."

The particulars must be noted, if only for the stuff of "City" legend. Murphy began in the morning drizzle with a birdie on 1, drove the green for an eagle on 2, and had a birdie on 3. That's a 3-2-2 start. Oppenheim went par, birdie, par -- and was 3-down after three.

"Superb," Oppenheim said. "I didn't lose. He won."

Murphy made birdie on 6 with a wedge to 6 feet -- even after taking a drop from casual water into a bad lie. "Great shot," said Joe Faulkner, caddying for his son, Danny, "out of a Lincoln Park lie."

.5 "The Muppet" was 6-up after six holes, and went out in 5-under 29. The course record of 8-under 60 was in danger, until Murphy closed the match on 12 with an 18-foot slider for birdie from the fringe. Six-under after 12, and "just another day at the office," Murphy laughed, not to overlook a par save on 10 from ankle-deep hay that drew applause.

"Jesus," Murphy said of his progress since a recent two-hour session with teaching pro Jim Wysocki at Cypress, "I've holed some amazing putts."

Next up is Viboch, a lanky 19-year-old with a whip of a swing. Viboch's comeback over Scott Terry gives him confidence, although he knows all about Murphy's game after his UC Davis roommate played in Murphy's qualifying group.

"He told me that he's real flamboyant verbally and has great camaraderie with his caddie," Viboch said. "That they make it seem like it's all over on the first tee, they give off that vibe."

Other winners of note: Two-time former champ Jim Evans of Redwood City held off talented young Danny Faulkner, 3 and 2; Vallejo car salesman Bobby Pereira beat KNBR and CBS Sports' Tom Spencer, 6 and 5; and "City" veteran Michael Wiechers of Granite Bay (Placer County) beat Scott Hardy, 5 and 4.

The day ended strong, when San Rafael's Miller took an all-square match with Enright on the 240-yard, par-3 17th and made it his with a 3-iron to 3 feet. Bam -- he won the hole.

"I don't even want to believe how good that shot was," Enright said.

Just another day at the office in "The City."