GOLF Hoey wins European Challenge Tour Tournament

Michael Hoey’s one shot victory at the Banque Populaire Moroccan Classic on the European Challenge Tour made it a double Irish success with Peter Lawrie’s maiden European Tour win at the Open de Espana.

Hoey held off a late challenge from overnight leader Greig Hutcheon of Scotland to secure his third career title on the European Challenge Tour. This latest victory lifted Michael up to 6th place on Challenge Tour rankings.

After his victory Michael said “my short game was very good today and it has been all week. Chipping and putting well normally wins you tournaments, and so it proved. I did’nt think I would win today because Greig’s been playing well and I started the round a few shots back, so it was a nice surprise.

I came to the tournament in good form after a decent finish in France last week, so my confidence is slowly returning after missing a few cuts in South America. I won a Chellenge Tour event at about the same time last season, but then got too technical and made too many changes to my swing, which meant I lost my way a little. But I’ve gone back to basics and I am going to keep it simple from now on.”       

Michael received an allocation from the Team Ireland Golf Trust of €15,000 in 2008. Peter Lawrie was a recipient of Team Ireland Golf Trust support earlier in his professional career.
The Team Ireland Golf Trust is a public private partnership designed to provide support, both financial and non-financial, to emerging Irish professional golfers to help them realize their potential on the world stage.

Golfers on the scheme have access to the sports science and medicine network already provided by the Irish Sports Council 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 freely access the Golfing Union of Ireland’s new National Academy facilities at Carton Demesne in Maynooth, Co. Kildare.

For Further Information: www.europeantour.com