Michael Hoey is determined to cash in on his good form and join Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell full-time next year competing on the lucrative PGA Tour.
Hoey confirmed he will enter the PGA Tour School later this year and if successful join his fellow Ulstermen tapping into the multi-million dollar States schedule.
Unless the 33-year old Belfast golfer wins a Major like McIlroy and McDowell then he will have to do it the tough way and putting himself through the six-round qualifying school.
Also the PGA Tour will scrap the Tour School from the end of this year and in future players will graduate to the main tour off the secondary Nationwide Tour.
“That’s why I want to try and give the PGA Tour a shot as this year of the U.S. Tour School,” he said.
“Also the timing is right for me because after my two wins in the Dunhill Links Championship and the Hassan II Trophy I’m exempt to the end of 2014 so I’m not under any pressure playing in Europe.”
It will be Hoey’s first major ‘business’ decision since splitting with Horizon Sports who manage the affairs of McIlroy and McDowell.
Hoey had been planning to leave the Dublin-based group for some time but suggested it was a last straw in his relationship with Horizons when McIlroy signed on earlier this year.
And it’s not just success on golf’s largest stage but the thought also of a wheelbarrow loads of ‘green backs’ for the triple European Tour champion.
In fact, the 2012 PGA Tour schedule boasts 45 touranments with a total prize purse of $US 260m.
“What they play for in the States each week is unbelievable in events like the World Matchplay and Doral, and the prize funds in the smaller tournaments is still $US 3.5m
“I still would start my new season in Europe with the Desert Swing because I like those three events before heading to American and over there until Wentworth and BMW PGA in May.
“And who wouldn’t want the opportunity to play for Wentworth size money every week in very good weather on very good greens.”
Hoey’s contested just two PGA Tour events in his career and they were both in 2002 when he contested the Masters as the then reigning British Open champion.
He also contested the Jack Nicklaus-hosted Memorial the next month but missing the cut in both events.
“I know it will be tough to a Tour card, but I’m going to give it a go as a bit of an adventure and I also want to see what I could do over there rather than look back in a few years to come and asking: “Why didn’t I give it a go?”
And Hoey was quick to single out the praise of Coleraine caddy Ryan McGuigan who teamed with England’s Danny Willett to capture last week’s BMW International Open in Cologne.
McGuigan caddied for Hoey for two wins, including his first on the European Tour in capturing the 2009 Estoril Open, and McGuigan called the shots for Matteo Manassero’s two Tour victories.
“Ryan is just a very good caddy and he sees the shots so well and had got such a feel for the temperature and wind,” said Hoey.
“He’s a good player himself, I think he has plays off five handicap. He’s also confident and he protrays that confidence to the player.
“And his preparation for every round is meticulous and I’ve faltered him.”
