Michael Hoey cited the attention being afforded reigning U.S. Open champion, Rory McIlroy as a contributing factor in turning his back on Horizon Sports Management.

After the coup in getting McIlroy on the Dublin-based company’s books, Conor Ridge and his Horizon’s team will be  reeling in losing the new Hassan II Trophy champion. 

Hoey made public his decision to quit Horizons within an hour of capturing a fourth European Tour title last Sunday in Agadir.

Michael Hoey confirms he's turned his back on Horizon Sports soon after this snap was taken. (Photo - Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)

However the quitely-spoken Belfast golfer also revealed he had been in discussion with Horizons for nearly a year.

It was not to after the recent “Desert Swing” Hoey, and one of the company’s first golf clients, gave formal notice Horizon.

Hoey expressed his disappointment in feeling overlooked in business initiatives and no moreso with McIlroy on the books.

“I was in a business relationship with Horizon but I feel I was not benefitting from any business in the arrangement as much as I could have been,” said Hoey.

“We all know economies around the world are tight and none more so in Ireland with regards to securing sponsors.

“But in fairness to Conor he was very good to me especially in finding sponsorship when I started out on the Challenge Tour.

“He also managed to pull plenty of strings when Gareth Maybin and myself represented Ireland at the World Cup qualifier in Aruba.

“But it was more beneficial to me back then but times have changed for me.”

Hoey and his wife, Bev had been in discussion with Ridge since this time in 2011.  They met late last year during the Barclays Singapore Open to discuss Hoey’s arrangements.

However with nothing concrete in place, the Hoey’s formally advised Horizon Sports in February that Hoey would be running his own business affairs.

“As it is, Bev looks after all my personal finance matters so she will continue to do that aspect of my golf,” he said.

“So I have been thinking about if for some time and it’s not as though I’m dropping Conor without any notice.

“But with Rory now on board and playing more in the States their management has changed and altered.

“So there’s been a change in their management and naturally that was going to happen with Rory as their client.

“He’s going to require more attention and focus than me and I understand that.

“And in many ways Bev has been my agent and I’m lucky to have her organising my affairs.”

However Hoey indicated he will remain on good friends with the company and, in fact, one of first text messages received after his win in Agadir was from Connor Ridge.

Hoey indicated he would consider signing with a rival company but was ‘in no rush’ to do so.

And while Hoey has turned his back on Horizon Sports, Mark Murphy revealed he is desperate to sign with a management company.

Murphy, who finished well down the field in the Hassan II Trophy, has returned to the States and revealing before leaving Agadir he has written to PGA, Nationwide and European Tour organisers seeking an invite.

The Waterville-born Murphy, who now calls New Orleans home, will contest June’s Irish Open at Royal Portrush and a reward, like it was in Morocco, in winning last year’s Golf Channel’s ‘Big Break’.