Michael Hoey's hooked on the Masters ­ in more ways than one.

With the six weeks still to go before his debut the 22-year-old Belfast amateur is dreaming about to play the banana-like hook shots he needs to get round Augusta.

Said Hoey: "Driving would be one of my strengths. But I'm working on trying to work the ball off the tee with my coach Bobby Browne. I'm trying to get used to drawing the ball because I haven't played that many courses where you need to work the ball that much off the tee

"There are probably about seven tee shots at Augusta that you need to hook off the tee but I really to get used to turning it over for the second, the ninth, the tenth and the thirteenth."

Organisers have added over 300 yards to the famous Georgia course to combat the advances in technology and the sheer power of big-hitting young guns like Tiger Woods, Charles Howell III or Adam Scott.

According to Woods, the lengthened course is now playing one or two shots tougher than it was a year ago.

But Hoey is more worried about his lack of experience.

The decision to remain an amateur after last year's Walker Cup win has cost the Shandon Park man the chance to play in more professional tournaments.

Despite having played the Augusta National course twice before, Hoey has delayed his entry in the pro ranks for the chance to tee it up there for a third time ­ alongside the legends ­ as British Amateur champion.

And he knows it's going to be hard just to post a respectable score.

"It's going to be tricky to get the game to a level where it was during last summer when I was competitive," he admitted.

"But I knew it was going to be like this. I've been working in the gym very hard and I'm hitting balls at night-time. I planned to take six weeks off and do gym work and I've been going every day.

"I've got a lot better physique now. I haven't put on any weight, I haven't bulked up at all, but I just feel a lot stronger and I'll be able to concentrate a lot more on the course. I should get a little more yardage too, not a lot but a little bit."

A 300-yard hitter at the best of times, Hoey played the new look Augusta in wet conditions last December and reckons it will be a really tough test.

The course now measures 7,270 yards and overall, nine holes have been changed including seven par fours and two par fives.

The tee at the famous 18th, for instance, has been moved back almost 60 yards and to carry the bunkers on the left the players and must now fly a drive some 320 yards.

Explained Hoey: "I hit full driver there and was 30 or 40 yards short of the first bunker. It was uphill and a little into to the wind but I probably hit it 270 and still had a five iron in there, where before it was a nine or eight iron."

To make it even more difficult, Hoey will be unable to use his favourite ERCII driver, which is illegal in the US.

But having recently signed with management giants IMG - the same company that manages Padraig Harrington, Sergio Garcia, Colin Montgomerie and Tiger Woods ­ Hoey is confident about his future.

He will return to the course for some much needed practice when he plays in next week's $1 million dollar Dubai Desert Classic before heading for Orlando in Florida.

"I've done what I wanted to do which required a certain amount of self-discipline to go in every day to the gym and push yourself. So I think some of that should pay off however, I haven't been competitive so I'm not really looking for too much from the first few tournaments just trying to stay competitive. That's what I'm looking for."

Hoey also hopes to get into the field for the Bay Hill Invitational on the US PGA Tour the following week.

He said: "It looks likely that I'll get in. It's a long journey but I think the experience of the Bay Hill should help me for the future. So that's my plan. It's going to be tough, I haven't competed, but it's a matter of doing a bit if practice now before Dubai. I'll get about five days of practice and then just try and get it round."

Augusta too could be something of an exercise in survival.

And Hoey is heeding advice from stable-mate Harrington who has been telling him not to put too much store by his performance in the Masters.

"He's been telling not to put too much emphasis on it because, one I'm not going to be very competitive and two, the course is very tricky, tricked up and I haven't had that much experience.

"It's not thinking negatively but you shouldn't let it determine your professional career because it's just one tournament."

Quipped Hoey: "All I'm worried about is getting enough sleep. I'm going to stay in the Crow's Nest, where the other amateurs traditionally sleep and I hope I don't need ear-plugs because of the snoring of the other four guys."

Come his tee time on April 11, Hoey may think it's all still a dream.

© Brian Keogh 2002

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