Northern Ireland Open: Five-time European Tour winner Hoey 'entered the real world' by getting job

Michael Hoey has revealed that he worked for a major global logistics firm for three months while no professional tournaments were being played because of the global pandemic.

The Northern Ireland golfer added that the impact of Covid-19 had forced other players to find temporary employment.

"Most guys on the Challenge Tour have had jobs in the real world," said Hoey.

"I don't think they've been in the real world their whole lives. I entered the real world myself with a job."

"Some tournaments have been cancelled and you can't make any money. You're losing sponsors because businesses are struggling and it's all very uncertain really," explained the five-time European Tour winner.

Hoey will compete in this week's Northern Ireland Open event, supported by The R&A, on the Galgorm Castle course in Ballymena, one of the tournaments which make up a significantly reduced schedule for this year's European Challenge Tour.

"The Challenge Tour have planned tournaments and the money is in place but with the spread of Covid and countries coming on and off the quarantine list can we go to the likes of Italy and Portugal?," he added.

"They had to cancel an event in France so nobody really knows what job they're going to have. You want to play golf but you don't know what's happening."

The NI Open, and the Irish Open at the same venue from 24-27 September, are being staged with strict protocols in place to prevent the further spread of coronavirus, including being played without spectators in attendance.

The Belfast native believes that this week's Northern Ireland Open could be a low-scoring affair as he reports the course to be in good condition but adds that the fact that no caddies will be allowed will provide an extra challenge for some of the competitors.

"The course is in good condition - the greens are running really well but the rough is wet and thick so you have to hit some fairways.

"I think the scoring will be low, maybe 20 under might win it, although we will be playing off different tee boxes this week from the Irish Open in a few weeks' time to preserve some of the tee boxes and get it looking perfect for the Irish.

"The fact there are no caddies this week will be an advantage to someone like me who is used to doing numbers themselves.

"Some of the guys are not used to pacing off and don't know the course that well. It'll be a tough slog but there are a lot worse things we could be doing."