Hoey focused on second Spanish win

Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey has his sights on a second successive victory after an opening 67 at the Castello Masters in Spain.

The former British amateur champion is back in action three weeks after he held off compatriots Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell to claim the Dunhill Links title at St Andrews.

“I wanted to play last week, but had a little injury,” he told European Tour Radio. “I’ve not been celebrating – I had three or four pints of Guinness on the night I won, but was tired and headed to bed.”

Hoey’s name was at the top of the leaderboard again yesterday until he bogeyed the 16th and double-bogeyed the 17th, but a closing birdie left him in a tie for fourth.

Ross McGowan led by two overnight from fellow Englishman Richard McEvoy and Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti.

Tournament host Sergio Garcia was alongside Hoey, while Tom Lewis – the 20-year-old from Welwyn Garden who won on his third start as a professional in Portugal on Sunday – opened with a 71 as he battled with a stomach virus.