Michael Hoey continued Northern Ireland’s golfing golden age at the expense of two of his most illustrious compatriots by winning the £3.2 million Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
The Belfast man faced down the last two US Open champions Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell to birdie three of the last four holes on the Old Course and claim the £503,000 first prize nearly £130,000 more than he ever won in an entire season in nine years as a pro.
Hoey, the 2001 Amateur champion, won with a record 22-under aggregate of 266, beating McIlroy by two shots and leaving McDowell in a tie for third with Scot George Murray two shots further adrift.
The new champion was a regular attendee at the old Dunhill Cup and always dreamed of playing in the tournament, but never imagined winning it.
”This is going to take a wee while to sink in,” he said. ”I came over in 1993 and again in 1996 and 1997 to watch the Dunhill, seeing Mickelson, John Daly and Faldo and how they hit the ball, and thinking I’d love to play in it one day.
”To be able to play and win this tournament, if you’re mad for golf like I am, is just so special.”
Hoey went into the final day with a three-shot advantage on the field but had to undergo a complete examination of his nerve under the assault from his two famous countrymen.
McIlroy raced to the turn in 30 strokes, including an eagle two at the third, to snatch the lead of the championship with Hoey treading water by comparison at one-under for his front nine, while also threatened by playing partner McDowell.
When McIlroy also birdied the 11th to hit 20-under and Hoey coming behind missed easy birdie chances at the 12th and 14th, he feared that his chance to win might be slipping away.
”I’d been pretty lucky the first three days with chip-ins and holing everything, and the plan was to do exactly the same today,” he said.
”But when I missed those chances I thought to myself ‘You’re throwing this chance away’, which is totally the wrong thing to think.
”But I made a good birdie at 15 and then hit two perfect seven-irons into the 16th and 17th, which are two holes that can really bite you.”
Hoey’s final birdie at the 18th was embellishment, as McIlroy was unable to pick up any more birdies after he got to the 12th tee at seven-under for the day.
”It was a good final-round 65 and a great weekend, particularly considering I was three-over after the first 11 holes on Thursday. But the win is what I was pushing for,” said the US Open champion.
”I’m pleased it’s a 1-2-3 for Northern Ireland but disappointed that it’s not me lifting the trophy.”
McDowell grew up playing with Hoey in Northern Ireland and was thrilled for his friend, if disappointed for himself.
”I’m disappointed that I was able to get in the mix but not get the job done,” he said. ”Michael was fantastic down the stretch.
”He’s always had the talent, but he was an underachiever because of the kind of ball-striker he was. But he was great today and fair play to him.”