Indonesian Open

Last updated: 26th February 2007

Finlands Mikko Ilonen made European Tour history when he fired a closing 70 to win the weather-interrupted Enjoy Jakarta Astro Indonesia Open on Sunday.

This because he is first player from Finland ever to win a European Tour title.

The 27-year-old carded a nine-under-par 275 total at Damai Indah Golf and Country Club to finish one shot ahead of the second-placed trio of Frankie Minoza of the Philippines (71), Shiv Kapur of India (67) and Andrew Tampion of Australia (69).

Thailand's Thammanoon Srirot (69) and Suk Jong Yul of Korea (73) finished in a tie for fifth on five under while Brazil's Alexandre Rocha shot a closing-round 67 to finish seventh on four under.

After a stop-start week with weather delays on all four days of the tournament, Ilonen was extremely relieved to celebrate his triumph.

"Finally, it's over. I've been thinking about this all week but I've had to try to put it out of my mind and concentrate out on the golf course," said the Finn, who was forced to return to the Pantai Indah Kapuk course early yesterday and today to complete previous days' rounds.

"It's been tough to do that, especially with having to go out and wait, and go out and wait again, but I'm feeling good to finally win it.

"I've been trying hard to imagine how it would feel to win but, right now, it's all such a rush.

"I'll probably take a couple of hours to let the feeling go down so I can realise what I have done."

Third-round leaders Ilonen and Minoza were tied on nine under after 10 holes when play was suspended due to lightning at 1.30pm for the fourth consecutive afternoon.

When they resumed play one hour and 45 minutes later, Ilonen stole ahead with a birdie on the 12th, only to find himself tied for the lead again one hole later when he missed a short birdie attempt after Minoza had drained a 12-footer to join him on 10 under.

However, the Finn would go ahead for good at the 14th after Minoza found thick rough to the left of the green and duffed his recovery shot en route to a double bogey.

"I hit it left and I had a bad lie," lamented the 47-year-old Filipino, a two-time winner at the Indonesia Open before it became a European Tour event.

"I hit a flyer and my third shot was worse and came out with a double bogey.

"I never gave up and I kept on fighting. At this course, anything can happen. But Mikko, he was so good and very steady. He just played on and never looked back.

"I am not disappointed because I know that was the main reason why I slipped back today."

Ilonen had a minor scare on the 17th when he found rough to the side of the green but a superb recovery shot allowed him to remain on 10 under.

That would prove vital at the 18th as he missed a short putt for par but still holed out for bogey to claim his maiden European Tour title.

Tampion mounted a late charge, pulling to within a stroke of Ilonen with a birdie at the 17th but the Australian rookie's hopes evaporated when his wayward drive at the final hole resulted in a bogey, which saw him drop back to eight under.

Kapur made five birdies in his closing 67 but was unable to manage one in his last four holes to maintain his charge up the leaderboard.

"I started off well and played quite decent rounds," said the 25-year-old, who also carded 67 in his opening round.

"Anytime you have two solid scores, you are always happy."

The top British player was English rookie James Heath, who made a sparkling start with five birdies in his first eight holes to move to eight under.

However, a triple-bogey on the par-four 11th derailed his challenge as he finished in a tie for eighth on three under with Thailand's Chapchai Nirat and Australia's Tony Carolan.

ALL THE FINAL ROUND SCORES

(Gbr & Irl unless stated, Par 71):

275 Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 66 68 71 70

276 Shiv Kapur (Ind) 67 73 69 67, Andrew Tampion (Aus) 68 66 73 69, Frankie Minoza (Phi) 71 68 66 71

279 Thamanoon Srirot (Tha) 72 67 71 69, Suk Jong Yul (Kor) 69 68 69 73

280 Alexandre Rocha (Bra) 72 68 73 67

281 James Heath 70 70 70 71, Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 68 69 72 72, Tony Carolan (Aus) 71 71 67 72

282 Rick Gibson (Can) 72 70 72 68, Simon Dyson 70 71 71 70, Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha) 75 69 72 66, Henrik Nystrom (Swe) 70 69 72 71, Christian Cevaer (Fra) 68 72 71 71, Scott Strange (Aus) 69 69 72 72, Gareth Davies 71 67 72 72, Chawalit Plaphol (Tha) 65 74 70 73, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 72 67 71 72

283 Sam Little 72 69 71 71, Mark Mouland 70 70 71 72, Peter Gustafsson (Swe) 70 73 67 73

284 Airil Rizman Zahari (Mal) 70 69 74 71, Mike Cunning (USA) 71 72 71 70, Mark Brown (Nzl) 75 69 68 72, Andrew Marshall 70 71 72 71, Steve Alker (Nzl) 70 71 72 71, Mardan Mamat (Sin) 74 67 71 72, David Bransdon (Aus) 69 72 74 69, Gaurav Ghei (Ind) 68 69 79 68, Adam Groom (Aus) 69 71 77 67, Iain Steel (Mal) 74 70 74 66

285 Oliver Fisher 74 67 72 72, Prom Meesawat (Tha) 71 68 74 72, SSP Chowrasia (Ind) 68 72 72 73, Adam Blyth (Aus) 73 70 69 73, Lam Chih-Bing (Sin) 72 72 72 69, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 71 71 74 69, Bryan Saltus (USA) 68 74 74 69, David Carter 72 72 75 66

286 Marcus Fraser (Aus) 74 70 69 73, Simon Yates 74 69 71 72, Anthony Kang (USA) 73 69 70 74, James Hepworth 71 70 74 71, Danny Chia (Mal) 71 71 75 69

287 Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 72 72 70 73, Matthew Millar (Aus) 71 73 69 74, Francois Delamontgne (Fra) 72 71 71 73, Chinarat Phadungsil (Tha) 70 71 72 74, Ted Oh (Kor) 69 74 73 72, Ross Bain 73 70 67 77, Chris Rodgers 72 71 75 69

288 Keith Horne (RSA) 73 71 71 73, Jose-Filipe Lima (Por) 68 76 71 73, Nam Young Woo (Kor) 68 69 75 76, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 67 75 71 75, Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 69 74 73 72, Gary Emerson 71 72 73 72

289 Park Jun Won (Kor) 69 75 72 73, Birgir Hafthorsson (Ice) 71 72 74 72

291 Mark Foster 69 74 70 78, Alexander Noren (Swe) 69 69 76 77, Marcus Both (Aus) 70 73 73 75, Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 74 68 74 75

292 Richard McEvoy 72 70 72 78, 292 Taichiro Kiyota (Jpn) 74 70 78 70

293 Scott Barr (Aus) 69 71 76 77, Kane Webber (Aus) 68 72 83 70