[caption id="attachment_67135" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Michael Hoey beat the world's best."]
Nowadays, it's hardly a surprise to learn that somebody from Northern Ireland has won another important golf tournament. In the case of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, it's not so much the where, but the who.
Michael Hoey, of whom much has been expected over the last decade, finally set aside the questions and doubts by topping a strong field that included five of the six top players in the world. He didn't quite win in frontrunning fashion, as he was passed by Rory McIlroy during the fourth and final round, but his tenacity in the face of the challenge makes the victory all the more special.
Hoey, 32 years old, topped off a Northern Irish trifecta that found Rory McIlroy alone in second place, two strokes behind, and Graeme McDowell another two strokes back in joint-third place with Scotland's George Murray.
Hoey was always a factor in this event that takes a scenic route over three courses - St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns - with the finale at St. Andrews. He either led or had a share of the lead from the outset, although intermittent challenges from the likes of Markus Brier and Tommy Fleetwood presented themselves along the way.
The course didn't matter; Hoey's cards added up to 66 after each of the first three rounds. He limited his bogeys over the first 54 holes to only four, and mixed in a couple eagles to further his cause.
When he went out at St. Andrews on Sunday, a familiar part of his past was alongside in the person of McDowell, who had his own recent failings to wrestle with. Another major winner, Louis Oosthuizen, rounded out the trio. Right in front of them was a trio that included McIlroy, another major winner who caught fire.
McIlroy, who started the final round five strokes behind Hoey, went out in 30 on Sunday, thanks to four birdies and an eagle. A McIlroy birdie at 11 on Sunday actually gave the U.S. Open champ the lead, as Hoey had taken just a stroke off par to that point.
The tide then turned. McIlroy stalled, playing the remaining seven holes evenly, while Hoey kicked in with birdies at 15, 16 and 18 to assure his victory.
"I struggled at the start [of the final round]," Hoey said. "I was really struggling and couldn't find any rhythm with my swing, but somehow the pace of play, slowing down, it helped a little bit."
Hoey admitted to irritation at himself for not finishing 12 and 14 with birdies on Sunday.
"I felt I'm throwing this thing away," Hoey said of his self-analysis after leaving makeable putts hanging on the green with four holes left to play. "You're just giving this away to the rest of the field."
For the record, Hoey finished Sunday's round in 68 for an aggregate 266 that is 22 strokes under par. McIlroy came in at 268 (70-67-66-65) and McDowell shot 270 (67-67-67-69), with just one bogey blemishing each round.
Overlooked somewhat was Padraig Harrington, whose 272 (68-71-64-69) was good for sole possession of eighth place. He suffered only two bogeys over 72 holes.
Hoey has known a taste of golf's high life, having won the 2001 British Amateur, which qualified him for the 2002 Masters. He turned pro soon thereafter and received several sponsor exemptions, but found similar success on the professional stage to be elusive.
"[My] long game wasn't far away, but short game wasn't up to top players out here," Hoey said, recalling that forlorn period. "I think I made two cuts out of seven. Just missed the Qualifying School. The next year I was playing EuroPro and missing cuts.
"It's taken a long time, but in a weird way you enjoy it more [now] because [of] struggling, six years of qualifying school. It's not nice when you're running out of money, when you're confused about your golf swing and you're away every week, traveling, no family life. So, there's points there where you think, do I want to do this? Do I want to continue with this? But I love the game."
In many respects, Hoey was his own worst enemy.
"My belief [in myself] has been high and low," Hoey said. "At times I've thought I'm unbelievably good and at times I've felt I just don't have the consistency, which is what it's all about. Now, I've got that consistency."
McDowell, who came up through the ranks at the same time as Hoey, was liberal in his praise of the Dunhill victor.
"When a guy plays like Michael played down the stretch, you can't have any complaints," McDowell said. "I've always known how good he is. I grew up playing golf with him and he's one of those guys you wonder why he doesn't play well every week. He's probably been an underachiever for how quality of a ball-striker he is, and he showed some class today. Hit some outstanding golf shots.
"Like I said, his second shot to 16 and the second shot to 17, really, the whole back nine. You hit a driver off the deck on 14, which had us all just kind of going, 'wow.' He's that good and fair play to him."
