MOLINARI RUNNER-UP, BEATEN BY ONE STROKE AT FOTA, CORK

FINN ILONEN LEADS FROM PILLAR TO 
POST TO WIN IRISH OPEN

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Finland's Mikko Ilonen completed a wire-to-wire victory as he celebrated his 300th European Tour appearance by winning the Irish Open at Fota Island Resort.
Ilonen carded a final round of 70 to finish 13 under par, one shot ahead of Italy's Edoardo Molinari, with Sweden's Kristoffer Broberg and English duo Danny Willett and Matthew Baldwin another shot back in third.
Graeme McDowell had been hoping to claim a first professional victory in Ireland in front of the massive crowds in Cork, but struggled on the greens and had to settle for a closing 71 and a share of sixth with Magnus A Carlsson, his first top-ten finish in 13 appearances in the event.
Ilonen established a new course record of 64 in the opening round and although that only lasted until Willett, aided by a hole-in-one, shot 63 on Saturday, the 34 year old Finn took a one-shot lead into the final round.
Birdies on the second and fourth took Ilonen three clear of the field until Willett carded his second birdie of the day on the ninth, but that was as close as anyone got until Ilonen dropped his only shot of the day on the last, ironically after hitting an iron off the tee for safety.
English teenager Matt Fitzpatrick, who was the only amateur to make the cut in the US Open last week, finished in a tie for 29th in his first tournament as a professional following a closing 68.
Ilonen's victory was the second wire-to-wire effort in as many weeks after Martin Kaymer's triumph at Pinehurst No.2, and the Finn admitted he had been inspired by The Ryder Cup hero.
“It was very much Martin Kaymer-inspired win,” he said. “I sent a message to him last week that I really enjoyed watching his golf.
“I very rarely enjoy watching golf; I would rather play golf, but Martin's win inspired me. It was nice to keep that lead all the way.
“I made sure that I paced myself well and I'm not too quick with things and keep my head up no matter what happens, and I kept on doing the same thing all the time, tried to hit the fairway. I hit a lot of greens today and kept okay pace with my putting.
“I looked back on the 18th green and I couldn't believe how many people there were.  It's nice to see - it was a very humble moment.”

ALL THE FINAL TOTALS
par 284 (4x71)

 271 M Ilonen  (Fin) 64 68 69 70

 272 E Molinari  (Ita) 67 69 69 67

 273 K Broberg (Swe) 69 69 66 69, D Willett  (Eng) 73 66 63 71, M Baldwin (Eng) 67 71 66 69

 274 M Carlsson  (Swe) 66 71 68 69, G McDowell  (Nir) 68 66 69 71

 275 G Bourdy (Fra) 68 71 67 69, R Fisher (Eng) 68 72 70 65, M Hoey  (Nir) 68 71 70 66, G Stal  (Fra) 70 67 69 69, C Wood  (Eng) 69 69 70 67, R Finch  (Eng) 68 72 67 68

 276 P Harrington (Irl) 69 67 71 69, A Gee  (Eng) 68 70 69 69, M Siem  (Ger) 66 74 71 65, S Khan (Eng) 69 66 70 71, G Maybin (Nir) 71 65 69 71, M Nixon (Eng) 70 65 74 67, F Zanotti (Par) 70 69 65 72

 277 A Hansen (Den) 67 70 68 72, R Kakko  (Fin) 71 66 72 68, R Wattel  (Fra) 69 65 70 73, M Crespi  (Ita) 68 67 73 69, R Gonzalez (Arg) 69 70 68 70,

 278 R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 72 68 70 68, P Larrazábal (Esp) 72 69 67 70, O Fisher  (Eng) 73 68 66 71

 279 R Rock (Eng) 68 66 74 71, M Fitzpatrick  (Eng) 72 69 70 68, M Warren (Sco) 71 70 68 70, S Kim (SKor) 69 67 74 69

 280 R Santos  (Por) 71 71 66 72, P Lawrie (Irl) 69 72 70 69, S Dodd (Wal) 73 69 72 66, P Casey  (Eng) 69 69 69 73, G Storm  (Eng) 69 70 70 71,

 281 J Heath  (Eng) 70 72 72 67, J Singh (Ind) 68 73 69 71, E Goya (Arg) 70 70 70 71, T Pieters  (Bel) 72 70 70 69, D Huizing (Ned) 67 71 71 72, A Cañizares  (Esp) 72 68 71 70
 282 R Bland (Eng) 73 68 68 73, S Webster (Eng) 70 70 70 72, A Quiros  (Esp) 70 70 72 70, R Karlsson (Swe) 66 76 72 68, J Knutzon (USA) 73 69 71 69

 283 W Ormsby (Aus) 70 71 75 67, D Horsey (Eng) 72 69 71 71, A Wall (Eng) 71 71 71 70, G Havret  (Fra) 70 68 70 75, D Howell (Eng) 72 67 73 71,

 284 C Doak (Sco) 69 70 73 72, J Olazábal (Esp) 69 73 73 69, S Manley (Wal) 70 68 72 74, A Pavan (Ita) 71 71 70 72

 285 J Kelly (Irl) 71 71 68 75, S Walker (Eng) 72 68 71 74, A McArthur  (Sco) 71 67 74 73, D Clarke (Nir) 72 68 73 72, J Carlsson (Swe) 70 70 72 73

 286 M Lundberg (Swe) 70 71 74 71, D Fichardt (RSA) 68 74 72 72, J Roos (RSA) 68 73 72 73

 287 F Calmels  (Fra) 73 69 75 70, L Hao-Tong (Chn) 69 72 69 77, A Saddier (Fra) 71 71 74 71

 289 A Forsyth (Sco) 71 71 72 75

 290 J Doherty  (Sco) 71 71 74 74, J Walters (RSA) 68 74 74 74

 291 T Lewis (Eng) 68 72 76 75

 292 P Sjöland (Swe) 69 72 77 74, G Hurley (am) (Irl) 72 66 81 73

 299 M Miller (USA) 73 67 79 80