Win number two for Ilonen at Scandinavian Masters

BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2007 Scandinavian Masters | Round Four | 20 Aug 2007

Finnish golfer, Mikko Ilonen, today won his second tournament of the 2007 European Tour season when he emerged from what had been a titanic final day struggle with a brilliant second to the par four 18th to set up the final and winning birdie at the Scandinavian Masters.

Ilonen, who became the first Finnish golfer to win on the European Tour in Jakarta earlier this season, first burst to prominence on the professional scene in 2001 when he produced a final round of 66 and a top ten finish at David Duval’s Open Championship at Lytham St Annes. The 2000 British Amateur Champion has kept his card in all but one of the seasons since but it has been over the past two seasons where he has really come of age on the European Tour.

The final nine holes in today’s final round saw as many as five players with genuine chances to take the title but it was the brilliant German talent, Martin Kaymer, who appeared on track for his maiden European Tour victory when he reached 7 under with a birdie at the 15th. A bogey at the 16th and then a gut wrenching double bogey at the final hole would cost Kraymer the win, but he has already displayed that his first European Tour win is now just a matter of time.

Kaymer had led into the final day along with South African James Kingston but both made poor starts to the day. Kaymer was able to recover with a chip and putt birdie at the 9th to turn at 6 under and he had regained the lead with Ilonen, who had himself birdied the 9th a few moments earlier.

The lead see-sawed between Kaymer and Ilonen through the back nine, although Ilonen appeared to have taken an edge when he birdied the 15th to move ahead by one. Ilonen had no sooner gained control than he lost it with a double bogey at the 16th and when Kaymer birdied the 15th, the German had a two shot lead over Ilonen.

Kaymer bogeyed the 16th but then at the 18th, needing a par to tie Ilonen who had finished a few minutes earlier, he missed the green and failed to make the putting surface with his first chip. The resultant double bogey proved very costly not only because it cost him a chance at the title but that it dropped him back into to a five way tied for second.

Kaymer shared second with Nick Dougherty, Christian Cevear, Jean Baptiste Gonnet and Peter Hedblom, the leading home grown player.

American Corey Pavin looked to be a threat when he moved to four under through twelve holes but eventually finished in a share of 7th after three lengthy birdie putts at the last three holes failed to fall after appearing in. It was still a fine week for the 47-year-old and one of the few true craftsmen in the game.

The best of the Australians was Scott Strange, who had led after an opening round of 64 but eventually finished 12th, Andrew Tampion was 32nd, Brett Rumford 36th, Wade Ormsby 49th, Terry Pilkadaris 55th and David Bransdon 61st.

The European Tour now heads to the Netherlands for the KLM Open.