Hogan improves 18 shots

Dubliner Robert Hogan sliced 18 shots off his opening 105 when he posted an 87 in the second round of the Irish PGA at the European Club.

The 21-year old from Cabinteely went to the turn in two-over par 37 - 13 shots fewer than he took in Wednesday’s opening round.

But just when he thought he had it cracked, Hogan’s walk in the sunshine turned quickly into another nightmare as he double bogeyed the 10th and then lost two balls off the tee at the 11th to run up a quintuple bogey nine.

He followed that with five bogeys on the trot and then double bogeyed the 18th to limp home in 50 blows for an 87 that left him propping up the field on 50 over par.

And he confessed that he is thinking changing career and doing just one-year of his three year apprenticeship with Greenore’s Robert Giles.

“I started well but I had another nightmare finish,” he lamented. “I couldn’t have helped but being a lot better. I lost a few balls today but not as many as yesterday.

“It never crossed my mind to withdraw. But I am sure it would have crossed the mind of more than a few.”

Hogan was a three-handicapper and a former member of nine-hole Kilcoole and later of Woodbrook when he went to Greenore to begin his apprenticeship under Giles last year

“I studied TV and video production in Bray for a year before I went to do golf,” he explained. “I liked it. But because I played so much golf when I was younger, I decided to try and play golf. Now I am not so sure. I think my talents lie more in what I was doing in Bray.”

But Hogan wasn’t the only player to struggle at The European Club.

Dundalk native Stephen Hoey followed an 87 with a 98 yesterday to finish on 43 over par.