Hoey faced with tough event's decision

IRELAND'S Michael Hoey will today face one of the toughest decisions of his short professional career after carding a three under-par 68 on the opening day of the rain-plagued Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.

The Shandon Park man is already booked in for the final British Open qualifier on Sunday at Luffness but says he’ll give that up if he makes the halfway cut today at Loch Lomond.

“This time last year I was exempt into the Open as the 2000 British Amateur champion, so it’s a bit different but the Open is not that big a deal for me,” he said.

“Maybe in a few years it will but this year my main goal is to make a bit of money, try and get a good finish and then worry about the Open.

“If I have a great finish this week I might just get into the Open and after shooting a 65 at Baltray, it was good just to leave with some confidence and today’s round is another confidence boosting step for me.

Hoey secured top place earlier in the week at a British Open regional qualifier at Baltray in Louth and after his bright Scottish Open start he will still hope to earn one of the eight places from those not otherwise exempt available through the Scottish Open.

That will mean withdrawing from final qualifying at the Luffness New course if he’s in position to secure one of those eight places.

But Hoey has admitted he’s more worried about earning a sizeable pay cheque than the likelihood of contesting this year's British Open.

“The game is in good shape and I just need to knock in a few mores putts or two that will get me going and not force me to lose the head.”

Hoey’s appearance in Scotland is his sixth of seven invites he has been afforded by the tour since joining the play-for-pay ranks straight after the US Masters earlier this year.

He arrived in Scotland having missed the cut in his past four events, including the two tournaments in Ireland, but he set about correcting the situation yesterday in a round that included six birdies and one from just two feet at the last.

“I’m pleased because it was a good way to finish,” said Hoey. “I have been struggling for a while but my game has been good and I just trusted it, so it’s nice to play well again.

“I played the event last year and it brought back some good memories today but it was a round I needed because unfortunately I have missed a few cuts lately.”