Michael Hoey wins Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey continued his country’s superb run of golfing success by claiming victory in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews ahead of his fellow Ulstermen Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell.

Michael Hoey
Fergus Bisset
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published

Northern Ireland's Michael Hoey continued his country's superb run of golfing success by claiming victory in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews ahead of his fellow Ulstermen Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell.

Hoey began the day two strokes ahead of McDowell and four clear of McIlroy. But this year's US Open champion quickly narrowed the deficit then took the lead after four birdies and an eagle on the front nine.

Another birdie on the 11th and McIlroy was seven under for his first 11 holes. But, the youngster didn't card another and Hoey was able to fight back with birdies at the 15th and 16th. He negotiated the treacherous Road Hole in par and came to the last one shot clear. He rounded off with another birdie to take the victory - his second on the European Tour.

"It hasn't sunk in yet and it won't for a while," Hoey said. "It's taken a long time but I supposed in a weird way you enjoy it more because you have struggled through six goes at the Qualifying School. It's not nice running out of money, being away from home, questioning your swing, and there are points where you wonder 'Do I want to continue with this."

McIlroy was upset to have missed out on the title.   "I've been very consistent, which is a good thing, but I want to get wins and that's the most important thing," he said. "It's good to be one, two, three and see all of us (Northern Irish) boys up there, I'm just obviously disappointed that it wasn't me lifting the trophy."

It was a great week for local boy George Murray. His third place finish lifted him from 183rd to 90th on the Race to Dubai and all but secured his playing rights for 2012.

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Old Course St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, Scotland Sep 29 - Oct 2, purse €3,530,000

1   Michael Hoey (NIR)   66   66   66   68   266   €588,149 2   Rory McIlroy (NIR)   70   67   66   65   268   €392,097 T3   Graeme McDowell (NIR) 67   67   67   69   270   €198,677 T3   George Murray (Sco)   70   66   67   67   270   €198,677 T5   Tommy Fleetwood (Eng) 69   63   71   68   271   €126,334 T5   Louis Oosthuizen (RSA)   66   67   69   69   271   €126,334 T5   Marc Warren (Sco)   67   67   70   67   271   €126,334 8   Padraig Harrington (Ire) 68   71   64   69   272   €88,222

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage only

Where next? PGA Tour - Kevin Na wins JT Shriners

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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