Michael Hoey captured the Emirates Amateur Open Championship in Dubai yesterday to complete a remarkable week for the country's male golfers. Victory for the Shandon Park player came only two days after Ciaran McMonagle had won the South African Open Strokeplay title.
Hoey, who opened with a 71 at the Emirates GC on Thursday, added a best-of-the-day 73 for 144 to take the 36-hole event by three strokes from Nicklas Bruzelius. Mark Campbell, of UCD and Stackstown, added a second 75 for fifth place.
Meanwhile, McMonagle's attempt to add the South African Matchplay title to his earlier success foundered in yesterday's semi-finals in which he lost by 3 and 2 to Dean Lambert at East London.
Earlier in the day, the Dunfanaghy player had beaten another local, Robert Wiederkehr, in the quarter-finals.
In the last four, McMonagle lost the first two holes but fought back to be level after 11. The South African took the initiative from then on, however, securing the 12th and 13th for a winning lead.
Andrew McCormick (Scrabo) lost to Edrich Jansen by 4 and 3 in the Plate.
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