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Mikko Ilonen shot a final round of 70 to secure a one-shot victory in the Indonesia Open in Jakarta to win his maiden professional victory and a first European Tour victory for a Finnish golfer.
The 27-year-old kept his nerve during a fourth round severely interrupted by the weather conditions in Indonesia to finish on two under for the round and nine under overall to hold off Frankie Minoza, Andrew Tampion and Shiv Kapur by a single stroke.
Ilonen moved to the top of the leaderboard as he went through the front nine in 34, before play was suspended for around two hours due to a lightning warning.
The Finn kept his concentration once play had resumed though, and solid golf including a birdie, bogey and seven pars were enough to hand him his first Tour title.
Ilonen's lone birdie on the back nine came at the 12th hole of the Damai Indah Golf and Country Club, which briefly gave him the lead before Minoza from the Philippines joined him on ten under at the 13th.
A double bogey from Minoza at the 14th gave Ilonen a two-shot advantage, and he held on to claim the trophy, even with a bogey at the last hole as Minoza could only par the last.
Australian rookie Tampion made a late dash for the line and closed to within a shot of the leader with a birdie on 17, but a bogey on the last meant he had to settle for a share of second.
Kapur made five birdies in his closing round of 67, but the Indian could not find a birdie in the closing holes and also ended in second on eight under par.
English rookie James Heath hit five birdies in his first eight holes, but a triple bogey on the 11th effectively ended his challenge and he finished in a tie for eighth on three under.
Defending champion Simon Dyson was one under for his final round and ended the tournament on two under and in a nine-way tie for 11th.
The spoils went to Ilonen though as he claimed a first Tour title and also the first European Tour win for Finland.
"It feels amazing," said Ilonen "It's been a really long week and now it's finished."
"This week, everything went right. The lightning delay helped and I was swinging better when we came back out.
"It all went really well for me." |
Source: Sky Sports |
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