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SAN DIEGO, California: Artemio Murakami of the Philippines was
feeling excited about his prospects Monday as he prepares to make
his major championship debut at the US Open at Torrey Pines.
“I’ve always wanted to see what a major
championship is all about,” said the 23-year-old Asian Tour
standout, who earned his US Open berth by topping the sectional
qualifying in Japan last month.
However, his appearance at the second major of
the year will provide him with the added impetus to reach for
greater heights in a topsy-turvy career that nearly saw him give up
the game as a disgruntled amateur several years ago.
“I’m really excited as it’s my first
major, and I’m determined to enjoy the experience, which means
playing in all four rounds. But it’ll be a real challenge as the
course is set up tough.
“I’m truly proud to be representing the
Philippines and the Asian Tour and I’ll be doing my best.”
Murakami, winner of the Iskandar Johor Open in
Malaysia on the Asian Tour last season, has competed at Torrey Pines
before in his amateur days, but said the South course was more
difficult now.
“It was short back then, but they’ve
lengthened it,” he said. “The course is very tight and long now.
Although the rough is not high, it’s sticky. If you’re in rough,
you can only chip out.”
Murakami, who is of Japanese-Filipino heritage,
became a name to look out for when he won the 1999 Philippine
Amateur Championship as a 16-year-old.
He featured in the national amateur team for
several years, but quit the game abruptly saying he was
disillusioned after being overlooked by officials.
During his sabbatical, Murakami caddied for the
country’s leading player Frankie Minoza for a full season in Japan
in 2003, which he said gave him the appetite for golf again.
“Frankie would often tell me that I could hit
the ball as good, if not better than the guys on Tour and that I
should be playing competitively again,” Murakami said. “I
enjoyed the experience of caddying for him as I found out why he’s
the best Filipino golfer.
“The way he plays, the way he thinks, his
attitude on the golf course, everything was spot on. He influenced
me to start playing golf again and he’s my mentor,” Murakami
said.
Murakami is the first Filipino since Felix Casas
in 2002 to qualify for the US Open, and he’s hoping to make an
impression at Torrey Pines.
“When I was an amateur, I never thought that I
would play in a major. It was only after I turned professional that
I set it upon myself that I wanted to play in a major at least once
in my lifetime,” he said.
The bubbly Filipino played in a practice round
on Monday with former Asian Tour regular Jarrod Lyle of Australia
and was caught by surprise by the large galleries at Torrey Pines.
“It was only Monday, but the course was
already so busy with the large crowds watching play. However, I feel
relaxed and I’m trying to take it as any other tournament.
“However, it’s quite hard to do so as I’m
next to players like David Toms, Angel Cabrera and Trevor Immelman
on the practice range.”
-- AFP
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