Finnomenal from Mikko Ilonen as he wins Volvo World Match Play

Phil Casey 07:41 20/10/2014
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  • Dialled in: Mikko Ilonen watched a birdie putt drop in en route to beating Henrik Stenson in the Match Play final.

    Mikko Ilonen capped a fantastic week by becoming the first Finnish player to win the Volvo World Match Play with a hard-fought victory over top seed and good friend Henrik Stenson.

    Ilonen carded five birdies and no bogeys despite the windy conditions at The London Club to win 3 and 1 and secure the first prize of €650,000 (Dh3bn), almost double his previous biggest payday from winning the Irish Open in June.

    Stenson, who had not led at any stage of his morning semi-final against George Coetzee before making a birdie on the 18th to win, claimed an early lead in the final with a birdie on the fourth.

    However, the world No5 then bogeyed the fifth and hit his tee shot into the water on the eighth, before birdies on the 10th and 12th took Ilonen three-up.

    Stenson refused to throw in the towel and birdied the 13th to reduce his deficit. But after almost holing his chip from the back of the 14th green, the Swede could only look on as Ilonen holed from 12 feet for birdie to move three ahead again, this time with four holes remaining.

    Stenson fought back once more with a two-putt birdie on the parfive 15th, but was unable to birdie either of the next two holes as Ilonen – who had beaten Joost Luiten 2 and 1 in the semi-finals – secured the biggest win of his career.

    “It’s pretty hard to sum it up right now,” the 34-year-old said. “The game plan was not to make any mistakes because I couldn’t afford any against a player like Henrik.

    “I did not play that well this morning but felt pretty comfortable going into the final, I knew I had a good chance to beat him and I did.

    “He’s one of the best players in the world but I see him as a friend. We have played so much golf that he did not intimidate me.”

    Stenson was not too downhearted after admitting he had “pulled a rabbit out of the hat” in beating Coetzee in the semi-finals.

    “I exceeded my expectations for the week,” Stenson said. “Even when Jonas (Blixt) took me to the 18th in the quarters I felt like we were running low on energy and the same against George this morning.

    “It felt like I was battling my swing a little the last couple of days in the windy conditions but there is no question the better player won.” In the third place play-off, Luiten beat Coetzee on the 19th hole to make it five wins from six matches.

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