Hoey on course for fifth Tour win

Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey remained on course for victory as he led by five strokes during the final round of the M2M Russian Open in Moscow.

Hoey led by five overnight after a third-round 65 at Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club but Sweden’s Rikard Karlberg cut his advantage to three after two early birdies.

Hoey responded with birdies at the seventh and eighth holes to reach the turn at 16 under and put himself in clear sight of a fifth European Tour title.

The 34-year-old has not finished better than 25th on the tour this season and had missed seven of his last 10 cuts coming into the event.

Karlberg began to fall back after a double bogey at the 10th, leaving last year’s winner Alexandre Kaleka of France and England’s Matthew Nixon as the closest challengers on 11 under.