Ilonen wins World Match Play

Mikko Ilonen became the first Finnish player to win the Volvo World Match Play Championship on Sunday.
The Finn emerged victorious in the final matchagainst the top ranked Henrik Stenson to earn the biggest paycheck of his golfing career.
Ilonen tamed the windy conditions to defeat Stenson 3&1 after his bogey-free round included four birdies at The London Club.
Stenson, who defeated South Africa’s George Coetzee on the final hole of their semi-final, was the first to make a move in the final match with birdie on the fourth.
But the Swede surrendered his lead immediately with a bogey on the fifth before hitting his tee shot into the water on the eighth.
While birdies on the tenth, 12th and 13th would bring him back into contention, it was Ilonen who rolled in a 12 footer for a crucial birdie to go three up with just four holes remaining. Ilonen would par the last few to secure the championship win.
“The game-plan was not to make any mistakes and I didn’t make any,” the 34-yeqar-old told Sky Sports.
“I definitely felt really comfortable going into the final and I felt I had a good chance of beating him.”
Meanwhile, Stenson revealed that he was feeling fatigued but still gave credit to his fellow Scandinavian for the victory.
“I felt I was running low on energy and I don’t know where I found the energy to finish this afternoon,” said the world five.
“I didn’t play my best and was unlucky on a couple of holes but all credit to him.”
All square after 19 holes, Joost Luiten would defeat Coetzee on the first extra hole of their playoff to claim third place.
Latest
-
European Tour
England’s Matt Wallace moves into contention at halfway stage of Dutch Open
A second round of 67 at Bernardus Golf gave Wallace a halfway total of eight under par and left him two shots behind Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia.
-
News
Rory McIlroy sees last week’s US PGA Championship as ‘one that got away’
He held a one-shot lead after an opening five-under-par 65 at Southern Hills.
-
PGA Tour
Justin Thomas switches focus to Texas after ‘unfathomable’ US PGA win
The former world number one won the championship for a second time on Sunday.
-
PGA Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick: Falling short at US PGA Championship ‘hurts a hell of a lot’
Fitzpatrick carded a closing three-over-par 73 to miss out on the play-off between eventual winner Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris by two shots.
-
PGA Championship
Justin Thomas pays tribute to caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay after his US PGA victory
Phil Mickelson’s former bagman gave Thomas a crucial pep talk after he shot 74 on Saturday.
-
PGA Championship
Tommy Fleetwood confident he is ‘coming out the other side’ after dip in form
Fleetwood finished in a tie for fifth at the US PGA Championship.
-
PGA Championship
Emotional Justin Thomas credits his experience for US PGA victory
Thomas also won the 2017 US PGA at Quail Hollow.
-
PGA Championship
Justin Thomas eclipses Will Zalatoris in play-off to claim second US PGA title
The former world number one’s victory equalled the biggest comeback in US PGA history.
-
PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy’s Sunday charge at US PGA Championship ends in disappointment
McIlroy’s closing 68 in Tulsa was followed by him declining to speak to waiting reporters.
-
PGA Championship
Paul McGinley says Tiger Woods deserves better than to be a ‘ceremonial golfer’
The 46-year-old withdrew from a major championship for the first time in his professional career at Southern Hills.