WHILE European Challenge Tour No 1 David Higgins plays in the Daily Telegraph Dunlop Masters, the rest of the Challenge Tour’s Irish contingent are in Italy for the XX Tessali-Metaponto Open di Puglia e Basilicata.

MICHAEL HOEY conquered his Italian hex to become the leading Irishman at the European Challenge Tour’s Tessali-Metaponto Open di Puglia e Basilicata after a second round 72 left him on two under par 141 — five shots behind leader Leif Westerberg of Sweden.