Golf: Hoey given a head start

Belfast’s Michael Hoey, the British amateur champion who missed the halfway cut by only one shot at Augusta, is now a stablemate of three-time Masters champion Tiger Woods.

The 23-year-old turned professional today with Mark McCormack’s International Management Group, whose other clients include Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington.

Hoey’s rounds of 75 and 73 in his farewell amateur appearance equalled the lowest 36-hole total by a British amateur in Masters history.

That mark was set in 1978 by Peter McEvoy, who was Hoey’s captain in last year’s Walker Cup win in America.

Hoey will be seeking invitations onto the European tour now and said: ‘‘I can’t wait to get out on the tour.

‘‘Obviously, a lot of my Walker Cup teammates turned pro following our win (most notably Luke Donald and Nick Dougherty, who will now be stablemates as well), but I wouldn’t have given up my place in the Masters for anything.

‘‘It was a fantastic experience and I can’t wait to go back there as a professional.’’

He has already had finishes of 11th in the Scottish Open and 12th in the Dubai Desert Classic as an amateur.

Guy Kinnings, head if IMG Golf Clients Europe, said: ‘‘We are very much looking forward to working with Michael.

‘‘He has had an outstanding amateur career and we believe he has a very bright future.’’