Philippines’ Rico Hoey settles for joint second in Kentucky PGA Tour
THE PHILIPPINES’ Rico Hoey came tantalizingly close to a coveted title in Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour but faded in the final push and settled for joint second in the ISCO Championship Sunday in Nicholasville, Kentucky.
Mr. Hoey, born in Manila and raised in the US, kissed his golden bid goodbye as he stumbled with a bogey in the first playoff hole to bomb out of a rare five-way sudden death eventually won by Harry Hall of England.
Mr. Hall chipped in a birdie in the third extra hole to seal his maiden championship and bank a cool $720,000. The 28-year-old Pinoy ace runnerup honors with Americans Matt NeSmith, Zac Blair and Pierceson Coody in his best finish in the prestigious tour worth $268,000 (about P15.7 million).
Mr. Hoey, who previously competed for the Philippines in the Putra Cup, was in contention at the Keene Trace Golf Club through and through. He even had the lead at 23-under after sinking his fourth birdie of the day in the 15th hole. But he closed with a bogey on the par-4 No. 18, where his second shot flew the green and found the rocky edge of the water hazard, which paved the way for the playoff.
“Four rounds in the 60s is all I can ask for and I thought I played great,” said Mr. Hoey, who settled for a closing 69 and a chance in the playoff after earlier rounds of 64, 66 and 67.
“It kind of sucks on 18, but I hit a great shot, hit a great tee ball and hit a great second shot. Adrenaline’s pumping, I’ve never really been in that situation where it like comes down to it,” he added.
In the first playoff hole in the 18th, Mr. Hoey failed to convert a mid-range par putt to get the boot alongside fellow bogey-scorer Mr. Blair while Mr. Hall, NeSmith and Coody, with their pars, moved forward to the next.
After identical pars again in the second extra hole also in the 18th, Mr. Hall finally edged Mr. NeSmith and Mr. Coody in the third — the par-3 No. 9 — to ice it. — Olmin Leyba