Northern Ireland's Michael Hoey kept the Irish feelgood factor going in Indonesia as he carded an eight-under-par 62 to share the clubhouse lead with India's Arjun Atwal at the end of the first day of the Enjoy Jakarta Standard Chartered Indonesia Open.
Eleven days ago Padraig Harrington captured his first US PGA Tour title and Des Smyth won on the Champions Tour, then, last Sunday, Hoey's fellow Ulsterman Graeme McDowell enjoyed one of the best week's of his career so far, finishing joint second in the Bay Hill Invitational. That performance in particular clearly inspired Hoey at the Cengkareng Golf Club in Jakarta.
Hoey and McDowell were team-mates in the 2001 Britain and Ireland Walker Cup side that defeated the US 15-9 at Sea Island, Georgia, with the Ulstermen pairing up in the foursomes to win both their matches. That side also included the English duo of Luke Donald and Nick Dougherty, who, like McDowell, have enjoyed the first taste of victory on the European Tour.
Hoey, who also won the British Amateur Championship in 2001, has yet to make that breakthrough, but after a solid start to his season on the Challenge Tour, where he recorded three top-fives in the early season events in Latin America, is poised to join the growing band of young guns taking the golfing world by storm.
"Graeme has been giving me encouragement for the past couple of years," said 26-year-old Hoey. "Nick Dougherty won in Singapore this year and Luke Donald is doing so well. It shows us all that is possible to do well. We had a good Walker Cup team and I hope I can make an impact this year."
Hooking up recently with a sports psychologist could also give Hoey the edge that he is desperately looking for. His self-confidence was given a boost when he received a text message from mental trainer Mark Elliot, who wrote "Don't forget who you are. You are a good player", and Hoey lived up to the words.
"Sometimes I ask why I can't (achieve success), but you can't think of that. You just have to try and improve your game. My golf coach, Andrew Nickelson, has helped me with my technique and I'm working with Mark and he's giving me a lot of encouragement."
Hoey dropped two early shots after starting at the 10th to lie two over after four holes, but then burst into life, recording eight birdies and an eagle, on the sixth hole, where he holed a monster putt from 70 feet, to take a share of the lead.
Play was suspended for two hours from 2pm local time due to a lightning storm, which means 57 players did not finish their opening round.
Among them were Philip Walton and Paul McGinley. Walton was an adventurous three-under through 15 holes. He recorded only five pars, opening double bogey, bogey and throwing in an eagle at the sixth.
McGinley was one-under after 13 holes, while Stephen Browne was in the clubhouse after a three-under 67.
