Hoey five off the leader Westerberg

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.

The Belfast man had played in the tournament for the last two seasons but twice missed the halfway cut.

After yesterday's one over par 72, the 25-year-old was delighted to win his "personal battle".