By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Fil-American Rico Hoey settled for a share of the runner-up honors with four others after a playoff on Sunday, July 14, in the ISCO Championship at the Keene Trace’s Champions Course in Nicholasville, Kentucky.
The 28-year-old Hoey bogeyed the first playoff hole to be eliminated early as Harry Hall went on to capture the title — his first in the PGA Tour — after chipping in from 45 feet for birdie on the third playoff hole.
Hoey actually took a one-stroke lead into the final hole of regulation, but made a bogey after his wedge approach bounced over the green and into rocks along the bank of a pond.
He finished the final round with a 69 for a four-round aggregate of 22-under 266 after earlier rounds of 64, 66 and 67.
Blair was also eliminated early with a bogey on the first playoff hole, leaving Matt NeSmith, Pierceson Coody and Hall in contention.
Hall ended it on the 209-yard, par-3 ninth, getting his chip from the right side to fall before NeSmith and Coody missed their attempts from behind the hole.
It was Hoey’s best finish in the PGA Tour, having missed the cut 10 times just this season.
He was coming off an impressive joint sixth-place finish at the Rocket Mortgage Classic last month and tied for 26th in the John Deere Classic early this month prior to this feat.
