TOM Murray admits his debut on the European Tour in South Africa is unlikely to be one he remembers fondly.

The Lymm golfer missed the cut at Leopard Creek in the Alfred Dunhill Championship last week when he followed up a par opening round with a two-over 74 to finish tied in 100th.

“I did and I didn’t I guess,” said the former Lymm High School student when asked if he enjoyed his maiden outing.

“I was simply just not playing very well. I did everything I could in my preparation, but that’s sport I guess.”

The 24-year-old does not believe the higher profile event affected him and was disappointed his golf did not live up to the spectacular views of neighbouring Kruger National Park.

“At the end of the day you’re still trying to do the same thing, so it was very similar and wasn’t a noticeable step up,” he added.

“It was a very nice play to play, which made it pretty special. If I had played well I might have had better memories.”

Murray, son of 1989 European Open winner Andrew Murray, is used to overseas events having spent two years travelling the globe on the lower-tier Challenge Tour.

“It’s a long way to go and on the way back home we travelled for about 20 hours,” he explained. “That’s one of the parts of it people don’t see.

"That’s the unglamorous part.”

He faces a similar journey in January for his first tournament of 2015, which Murray insists he is aiming to win.

“I’m back to Johannesburg on January 4 for the South African Open Championship,” he said.

“It’s hardly a break. Christmas day I will have off, then I know how to prepare and get the best out of myself.

“It starts on January 8, so I’ll get there a few days before to acclimatise, get playing well and get all my notes on the course done.

“You go there to win, that’s the only thing you can aim for.”