Hoey is fighting fit for Cologne

Michael Hoey is confident he’s finally shaken flu symptoms brought on by overdoing the celebration at the recent Heineken Cup final.

Hoey let his hair down at Twickenham but then was caught off guard a few days later playing at Wentworth in the BMW PGA Championship.

It’s only now he’s managed to finally shake a nasty dose of the flu ahead of today’s commencing BMW International Open in Cologne.

“I went to the European Rugby Cup final and had a few drinks too much, and ate junk food, as you do in a rugby final,” he said.

“I knew that would probably happen but I was also determined to go even though it was the week before Wentworth. Then there was a five hour pro-am at the BMW PGA and I didn’t wear enough clothes as it went from really hot to really cold, and it’s just taken so long trying to shake off a really nasty cold.”

Hoey is among six Irish teeing up in this week’s €2m BMW International Open being played on at the Gut Larcenhof course for a first time, having been the former long-time venue for the German Masters.

Meanwhile, Colm Moriarty is hoping the familiar climes of the Scottish highlands will provide him with a first win of the season this week at the Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts. Moriarty is joined in the field this week by countrymen David Higgins and Gary Murphy.