Hoey trails red-hot Koivu in Geneva
Kim Koivu. Credit: Rolex
Michael Hoey birdied two of his last four holes but still finds himself 13 shots behind Finland's Kim Koivu at the Challenge Tour's Rolex Trophy in Switzerland.
A five-time European Tour winner, Hoey opened with a three-over 75 share last place in the 40-man event at Golf Club de Genève where Koivu carded a course record, ten-under-par 62 to lead by three shots from Chile's Nico Geyger and Sweden's Sebastian Soderberg.
Koivu made ten birdies, including six in his first six holes in his lowest score since he joined the European Challenge Tour.
A two-time winner on the Challenge Tour this year, he could gain automatic promotion to the European Tour with a victory in Geneva, and has put himself in pole position after an eye-catching opening round.
The recent Vierumäki Finnish Challenge champion made seven gains in his first nine holes before he continued his impressive start with another birdie on the tenth hole.
As the chasing pack started to form, Koivu, buoyed with confidence after his victory two weeks ago, kept them at bay with birdies on 15 and 17 to extend his lead to three shots and set a new course-record.
“It feels great,” he said. “The course is in great shape and the greens are rolling nicely. I played with Kalle Samooja, another Finn, and we had a great time out there.
“I’m taking a lot of confidence from my two wins this year. I feel very comfortable on the golf course. I feel like I’m swinging it well and I’ve got a good combination of clubs in my bag that I trust, and I feel very confident on the golf course each day.
“I had to stay focussed during that birdie run and tried not to think about the score too much. I focussed on making good shots and holing as many putts as I could.
“I thought I needed to make the birdie on 17 because my lowest Challenge Tour round is 63, eight under par, so I needed to make that because the 18th is not easy. The birdie on 17 and the putt on 16, where I had a tough wedge shot and made a good up and down, were some of the key moments today.
“I’m really looking forward to the rest of tournament. There are still three rounds to go, so we’ll see what happens.”
Geyger carded a seven under par round of 65 before Soderberg, who won the Italian Challenge presented by Cashback World in July, joined the Chilean in second place after his bogey-free score. Elsewhere, Joel Girrbach, one of two home favourites at the picturesque course, lies seven shots behind Koivu in a tie for tenth position after he carded a three under par round of 69.
Rolex Trophy, Golf Club de Genève (Par 70)
Detailed scores
62 K Koivu (Fin)
65 S Soderberg (Swe), N Geyger (Chi)
67 M Schneider (Ger), R McGowan (Eng)
68 J Singh Brar (Eng), R Macintyre (Sco), S Tiley (Eng), P Figueiredo (Por)
69 B Stow (Eng), V Perez (Fra), D Papadatos (Aus), J Girrbach (Sui), K Samooja (Fin), S Forsström (Swe), D Van Driel (Ned), L Johnston (Sco)
70 D Huizing (Ned), W Besseling (Ned), M Orrin (Eng), E Ferguson (Sco), O Wilson (Eng), J Lima (Por), S Manley (Wal), D Law (Sco), M Kim (Kor), M Iten (Sui), A Karlsson (Swe)
71 K Johannessen (Nor), L Gagli (Ita), G Forrest (Sco)
72 P Mejow (Ger), E Johansen (Nor), J Senior (Eng), J Hansen (Den)
73 B Virto (Esp), A Arnaus (Esp)
74 A Rozner (Fra)
75 O Lengden (Swe), M Hoey (Nir).
