Finland’s Mikko Ilonen ignored the script to easily outshine his more-fancied local rivals on the opening day of the Irish Open.
Illonen, 34 celebrated his 300th European Tour event setting a new course record of a seven-under par 64 in superb scoring conditions on the Fota Island course in Cork.
Flying Finn Mikko Illonen celebrates his 300th Tour event with a new course record 64 on day one of the Irish Open. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
The ‘Flying Finn’ birdied five of his closing seven holes to set a new course after major changes to the course since the staging of the 2002 Irish Open.
Illonen headed to lunch leading by three shots from the duo of Italy’s Edoardo Molinari and England’s Matthew Baldwin with scores of 67.
However at the end of the day the ‘Flying Finn’ was two shots clear of Germany’s Marcel Siem and the Swedish duo of Robert Karlsson and Magnus Carlsson who each signed for five under par 66s.
“A couple of weeks ago in Sweden I was playing really well and I finished 32nd, and it’s still really a mystery how I finished 32nd that week, because I was actually hitting my best shots of the year there,” he said.
“I felt really calm with the putter and today really it’s just still there but we still have a long way to go.”
And while Illonen sets his sights on a fourth Tour victory he also is looking to break into the world’s top-50 for a first time in his career and be assured of contesting August’s WGC – Bridgestone Invitational.
He is currently ranked 63rd in the world and one place more than a career high of 62nd in December 2007.
“In these summer tournaments up until The Open my goal is to get into the Top‑50 and that gets me into the Bridgestone that I can play in the States,” he said.
“I am exempt into The Open while 63 in the world will get me into 63 gets me in the PGA, so I have that, but it would be nice to play two more over in the States once you’re there.”
In contrast, overwhelming crowd favourite Rory McIlroy struggled with a three-over par 74 to be trailing 10 shots behind the triple Tour winning Finnish-born golfer.
