Rocco Forte Open in southern Sicily

Hoey, Soderberg share lead on 10-under 61

FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Michael Hoey carded the lowest round of his long European Tour career at the Rocco Forte Open – Verdura, Sicily as a stunning ten under par 61 moved the Northern Irishman into a share of the first-round lead alongside Sweden’s Sebastian Soderberg.

Hoey, a five-time European Tour winner, last claimed a title in Russia in 2013 and has since struggled for form but he was back on a hot streak at the sun-kissed Verdura Golf Club in southern Sicily.

The 38 year old came agonisingly close to a 59, narrowly missing an eagle putt at the ninth - his 17^th hole - and a birdie attempt at the tenth, his last.

Soderberg, meanwhile, finished with successive birdies at the 17^th and 18^th to round off the best round of his fledgling European Tour career, having earned his card at Qualifying School Final Stage last November.

South African prospect Zander Lombard was a shot further back in third place courtesy of a nine under par 62, while Spain’s six-time European Tour winner Alvaro Quiros holed his tee shot at the 13^th hole, the sixth of his career, en route to an eight under par 63.
 

Player Quotes:

Sebastian Soderberg

“I was hitting the driver really well and got some real close ones. I made one or two long putts the first ten, 11 holes. It felt pretty easy.

“I thought I played alright down the stretch, I just didn't get quite as close to the pins. That (59) was all I thought about walking down the par five 12th. For me it kind of helped me to help keep me going, I didn't feel like it stopped me. I definitely had a couple of putts the last seven holes that could have run in. Overall, great round.

“So far this season it hasn't been quite that good. Thankfully most of the pieces fell together today. It was a really good day.

Michael Hoey

“I left it in the jaws, both putts, but I was nervous. It was hard to hit them past the hole but it's nice to be nervous because I haven't been nervous on a golf course for quite a while and it's exciting to be such a good score.

“We've had two kids and it's been tiring. I had to have sinus surgery done a couple of years ago. I haven't been as healthy as I wanted to be so hopefully now I can get going.

“It's soft. If the wind gets up, Saturday, Sunday it will be very different but tomorrow I just have to try and get as many under as I can.

"It's my best ever score by two shots, no bogeys, it doesn't get much better. You've got to do everything well, they're ideal conditions really, Sicily is a beautiful place so I'm just enjoying the week so far. 

“The standard of golf is unbelievable nowadays. There's not that much rough so you can score. It's different from five or ten years ago, I can see the standard just improving a lot. I'm just happy that I'm on TV a bit and speaking to you guys now!”

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD

par 71

61 M Hoey (Nir) , S Soderberg (Swe) 
62 Z Lombard (SAf)  
63 S Heisele (Ger) , A Quiros (Spn) , J Kruger (SAf)  
64 J Lima (Por) , D Horsey (Eng) , E De La Riva (Spn) , L Slattery (Eng) , L Haotong (Chn) ,
65 L Canter (Eng) , J Guerrier (Fra) , E Johansen (Nor) , M Armitage (Eng) , B Dredge (Wal) , T Bjørn (Den) 
66 C Berardo (Fra) , W Ormsby (Aus) , S Henry (Sco) , P Peterson (USA) , R Wattel (Fra) , M Pavon (Fra) , O Fisher (Eng) , F Laporta (Ita) , N Johansson (Swe) , M Fraser (Aus) , C Paisley (Eng) , D Im (USA) , P Khongwatmai (Tha) , N Cullen (Aus) , P Maddy (Eng) , S Manley (Wal) 
67 M Manassero (Ita) , J Carlsson (Swe) , G Hurley (Irl) , M Nixon (Eng) , P Tangkamolprasert (Tha) , M Foster (Eng) , R Karlberg (Swe) , E Pepperell (Eng) , A Dodt (Aus) , A Karlsson (Swe) , T Lewis (Eng) , R McEvoy (Eng) , M Weir (Can) , N Kimsey (Eng) , M Korhonen (Fin) , L Cianchetti (am) (Ita)  
68 O Stark (Swe) , H Porteous (SAf) , F Bergamaschi (Ita) , A Connelly (Can) , D Howell (Eng) , B Evans (Eng) , R Kakko (Fin) , A Maestroni (Ita) , J Winther (Den) , L Gagli (Ita) , A Otaegui (Spn) , M Siem (Ger) , M Ford (Eng) , D Perrier (Fra) , M Wallace (Eng) , J Dantorp (Swe) , R McGowan (Eng) , J Scrivener (Aus) , A Tadini (Ita) , G Porteous (Eng) , O Lengden (Swe) , J Smith (Eng) , G King (Eng) , N Colsaerts (Bel) 
69 J Edfors (Swe) , J Donaldson (Wal) , R Fox (Nzl) , M Lundberg (Swe) , P Gal (Cze) , T Immelman (SAf) , A Björk (Swe) , S Jamieson (Sco) , J Stalter (Fra) , J Quesne (Fra) , J Rutherford (Eng) , R Coles (Eng) , R Jacquelin (Fra) , A Saddier (Fra) , J Parry (Eng) , P Angles (Esp) , B Virto (Esp) , R Gonzalez (Arg) , D Fox (Aus) , R Echenique (Arg) , G Fortini (am) (Ita) , M Campigli (am) (Ita) , A Romano (am) (Ita)  
70 C Hanson (Eng) , O Farr (Wal) , R Langasque (Fra) , R Dinwiddie (Eng) , M Jonzon (Swe) , A Knappe (Ger) , G Migliozzi (Ita) , A Chesters (Eng) , J Ahlers (SAf) , P Widegren (Swe) , J Fahrbring (Swe) , J Heath (Eng) , R Johnson (Swe) , R Karlsson (Swe) , N Fasth (Swe) , N Ravano (Ita) , S Webster (Eng) , E Molinari (Ita) 
71 S Tiley (Eng) , R Bland (Eng) , L Jensen (Den) , S Forsström (Swe) , S Khan (Eng) , J Morrison (Eng) , S Dyson (Eng) , R Paratore (Ita) , O Wilson (Eng) , T Detry (Bel) , C Doak (Sco) , L Scalise (am) (Ita) ,
72 P Edberg (Swe) , F Maccario (Ita) , A Velasco (Spn) , R Saxton (Ned) , J Van Der Vaart (Ned) , C Terragni (Ita) , M Southgate (Eng) , E Di Nitto (Ita) , A Pavan (Ita)  
73 D Brooks (Eng) , B Ritthammer (Ger) , D Huizing (Ned) , T Fisher Jnr (SAf) , J Vecchi Fossa (Ita) , T Linard (Fra) 74 N Bertasio (Ita) , R Finch (Eng) , A Zemmer (Ita) , S Gros (Fra) , M Delpodio (Ita) ,
75 M Crespi (Ita) , G Stal (Fra) , J Suri (USA) , C Lee (Sco) 
76 D Stewart (Sco) , M Ortolani (Ita) , P Geerts (am) (Ita) 
77 N Holman (Aus) 
80 T Foster (Eng)  ** M Orrin (Eng)