Golf: Challenge Tour Victory for Michael Hoey

Michael Hoey is looking for a swift return to the European Tour after successful laser eye surgery inspired the Northern Irishman to the second Challenge Tour success of his career at the Teasali-Mataponto Open di Puglia e Basilicate, Italy last weekend.

Michael’s victory at the first hole of a sudden death play-off against Welshman Liam Bond was worth €20,800 and propelled him to eight place on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit. This ranking gives him a great chance for an immediate return to the European Tour as the top ten ranked players at the end of the season gain their card.

“The goal for the season is to get into the top ten of the Rankings and winning in Italy is a big step towards that” said Hoey, whose other Challenge Tour victory came at the 2005 BA CA Golf Open presented by Telecom Austria, the same season he finished eight on the final Rankings to win on the European Tour.

Michael has been supported by the Team Ireland Golf Trust for the last five years. This year he received an allocation of €15,000 from the Trust.

The Team Ireland Golf Trust is designed to provide support, both financial and non-financial, to selected young professional golfers to help them realise their potential to perform successfully at international level. Golfers on the scheme have access to the sports science and medicine network already provided by the ISC to high performance athletes on the International Carding Scheme. Access to these services is administered by the National Coaching and Training Centre in Limerick.

Since 2006 golfers supported by the Trust are able to access the Golfing Union of Ireland’s new National Academy facilities at Carton Demesne in Maynooth, Co. Kildare.