Michael Hoey clinched his fifth European title after carding a four-shot victory in the M2M Russian Open in Moscow.
The Northern Irishman entered the final round with a five-shot lead at Tseleevo Golf & Polo Club near Moscow and closed the game two-under 70, a score good enough to hold off France’s Alexandre Kaleka and England’s Matthew Nixon.
Kaleka was defending champion going into the event and shot a 68 to share second place with Nixon, who in turn birdied the last for a 69 finish.
Hoey, 39, had not bettered his finish of 25th on the European Tour so far this season – and missed seven of his last 10 cuts coming into the event. But he managed to hold his nerve and add to his tally of European Tour successes – the last coming in the Trophee Hassan II in 2012 - and collect the winner's cheque for 166,660 Euros.
A steady start for Hoey saw him with six straight pars before birdies at the seventh and eighth saw him move to 16-under and get to the turn five clear of his nearest chaser. His only dropped shot of the day came at the 12th and a birdie at the 17th settled any lingering nerves late on.
Elsewhere, Dane JB Hansen finished alone in fourth place after he dropped two shots on the 18th for a 68, with China’s Liang Wen-Chong, France’s Gregory Havret and England’s James Morrison and Mark Foster further back on 10 under par.
Brooks Koepka put in a masterful performance to hold off a final round 63 from Tommy Fleetwood to successfully defend his US Open title at Shinnecock Hills.
