Hoey holds nerve to secure fifth Tour title

MICHAEL HOEY kept his composure to shoot a final-round 70 and claim a fourstroke victory at the M2M Russian Open in Moscow. The 34-year-old Ballymoney man, who led by five overnight after a superb 65 in his third round, birdied three more holes to finish comfortably ahead on 16-under-par 272. France’s Alexandre Kaleka, winner of the tournament last year, and Englishman Matthew Nixon were his closest threats on 12 under. Victory was Hoey’s fifth European Tour title and represented a return to form after missing seven of his previous 10 cuts. Hoey (above) said: ‘I have absolutely loved the golf course this week. The putting was key. I have been working hard on that a lot recently and the improvement is really showing because I making a lot of birdies. ‘You have to be able to make a lot of putts because the standard is so high these days that it usually comes down to who makes the most putts. ‘It’s pretty amazing to think that I have won five European Tour titles. It is a great feeling to win and every time you do it you want more and more. Hopefully I can get at least another one this season.’