Hoey hobbles home from Hoylake with hole in left foot

Michael Hoey’s Open Championship came to a painful end at Hoylake yesterday as he was forced to withdraw during the second round due to a foot injury.

Hoey, who had begun the day at three over par, abandoned the Major after seven holes after becoming unable to swing properly or walk free of pain. His discomfort was caused when he inadvertently took a large lump of skin out of the sole of his left foot.

“I’ve had a big callous for months, took the tape off and the whole thing’s come off. It’s deep. I couldn’t really swing it, couldn’t move into it,” Hoey said. “It was a bit unlucky. I wasn’t going well. I’d a couple of good shots but I couldn’t load into my left foot and when I was walking, I was knackered, absolutely knackered. I needed to be going great to get adrenaline to override it.

“I’ve played nine out of 10 weeks but it’s not just that. I’ve actually torn a lot of skin off it last night. It is very sore and I said I’m just better coming in and not holding my playing partners up. I didn’t want to do it but it probably was the right thing to do.”

Five-time European Tour winner Hoey, 35, said he had calluses for months, a result of walking “seven miles a day for 10 years” but for the problem to become critical during a major championship was particularly galling, he agreed.

“I know. Went down to Tesco’s last night late to try and get some stuff for it but it doesn’t fit in the shoe because there’s so much padding around it”

Templepatrick-based Hoey, 35, will now be unable to defend his M2M Russian Open title at Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club near Moscow next week having decided yesterday afternoon his foot would not heal in time.