Hoey makes good on amateur promise
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2009 Estoril Open de Portugal | Round Four | 06 Apr 2009
Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey has for so long promised something better and today in Portugal he delivered.
The 30-year-old from Belfast won the Estoril Open de Portugal in a three hole playoff with Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano fulfilling the potential that has lived with him since his very successful amateur career.
Hoey produced a stunning final round of 66 to come from five behind the third round leader Paul Broadhurst and win his first European Tour nearly eight years after assisting Great Britain and Ireland to victory at the 2001 Walker Cup and winning the British Amateur Champion that year.
Hoey has won three times on the Challenge Tour but this proves to himself and others that he is capable of winning at the higher level. The victory moves him to 25th on the 2009 season money list.
Francesco Molinari finished alone in third position while third round leader, Broadhurst was 4th.
New Zealander Mark Brown was the best of the Australasians finishing in 28th position but three bogeys in his first six holes cost him any chance of something much better.
Wade Ormsby was 43rd and Michael Curtain was 63rd.
The European Tour’s next stand alone event after this week’s Masters will be at the Volvo China Open in Beijing.
