GOLF/International Open: As a fledgling professional, unsure just where or when the next tournament will be, every invite is embraced with the intensity of a toddler hugging a favourite teddy. Which is why Michael Hoey - barely a month into his new professional career - didn't remain too much longer in Belfast when the call came through last Monday notifying him he had received a late sponsor's invite into the B&H International Open at The Belfry.
Indeed, it was a bit like hanging around waiting for a bus only for two of them to come along in tandem, as a letter with a United States postmark also arrived into the Hoey hallway. It had further good news. The sender of the letter from America was none other than Jack Nicklaus, extending an invite to Hoey, as last year's British Amateur champion, to play in his tournament, the Memorial, which takes place in two weeks' time. Not surprisingly, Hoey immediately accepted.
Yesterday's start was Hoey's first in a full European Tour event as a professional. He missed the cut in his first Challenge Tour event in Italy two weeks ago and last week only got to play five holes in a similar secondary tour event in Switzerland before the banks of Lake Maggiore burst and caused the tournament's cancellation.
At least Hoey got to play a full round yesterday, even if a nervous start - he was three over after four holes - left him "feeling a bit of pressure". He settled the ship somewhat thereafter but, still, after 14 holes the northerner was four-over and grinding it out . . . until he hit the sort of run that does more than anything to banish the nerves. Hoey picked up three successive birdies from the 15th and, eventually, signed for a one-over-par 73, the hat-trick of birdies being followed by a fine par save on the last after his drive found a fairway bunker and he bravely took on the water.
"It was nice to finish that way," admitted Hoey. "I felt quite nervous at the start. It was my first time in a big tournament as a professional and I am still trying to get used to it."
The sure sign that Hoey is in the early stages of his professional career is that his bag - carried by the well-respected Scottish caddie Graham Atkinson - is plain black with none of the markings or trappings of sponsorship (yet!) etched onto its leather.
Still waiting for invites to arrive - "I hope to get into the Murphy's Irish Open and the Smurfit European Open, and I also hope to get into Loch Lomond," he confirmed - Hoey's next tournament will be the Memorial and, after that, it will be a question of waiting for more invitations to arrive.
