Hoey finishes joint 2nd, nets P15.7 million

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ Rico Hoey came tantalizingly close to a coveted title in the PGA Tour but faded in the final push and settled for joint second in the ISCO Championship Sunday in Nicholasville, Kentucky.

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.

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 shared runner-up honors with Americans Matt NeSmith, Zac Blair and Pierceson Coody in his best finish in the tour worth $268,000 (around P15.7 million).

“Regardless, it was a great week,” Hoey said. “If someone said I was going to have a chance to win, I probably would have laughed at their face because this whole season really hasn’t been the turnout I expected. I’m going to keep rolling, I’m going to keep fighting and hopefully next week I can come out and keep fighting and give myself a chance again.”

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 Hoey, who settled for a closing 69 and a chance in the playoff after earlier rounds of 64, 66 and 67.

In the first playoff hole, Hoey missed a mid-range par putt to get the boot alongside fellow bogey-scorer Blair while Hall, NeSmith and Coody, with pars, moved forward to the next.