Ahokas captures Amateur Open title
Flying Finn Antti Ahokas beat pal Rory McIlroy in a three-hole aggregate play-off to capture the AIB Irish Amateur Open at Portmarnock.
Tied for the lead on two over entering the final round, McIlroy moved two shots clear of the Finnish left-hander with eight to play.
But they finished level on three over par in the end after rounds of 73 and a dramatic back nine battle that went right to the wire.
In the three-hole play-off, over the first, second and ninth, the first was shared in par before Ahokas saved a brilliant four at the second after driving into deep rough.
After laying up 60 yards short of the green, the blond Scandinavian almost holed his third and walked off level with McIlroy.
But it all ended at the ninth where Ahokas hit a massive drive and then holed an18 footer for birdie and a dramatic victory.
“This is the biggest win of my career,” said Ahokas. “I won the Finnish Amateur Open two years ago and was second in Portugal this year but this was winning on a links and I have never won on a links before.”
“On the 17th I made a great par to stay level with Rory and then on the second hole in the play-off I nearly holed my third from 60 yards - the best shot of my life."
McIlroy was disappointed to come off second best after producing some stunning golf at the classic north Dublin links.
“I thought I was going to win this week but I came close enough,” he said. “The only regrets I have are the four double bogeys I had this week, although it evens itself out over 72 holes.
“I had a good chance to birde the second playoff hole but he made a great par there and a good birdie at the last.
"I played well all week so even though I am disappointed, I can't complain”
Joint overnight leader Jonny Caldwell finished down the field on nine over after a closing 78.
Welshman Tim Dykes took third place on four over par after a best of the day closing round of 71.
Final Scores:
291: A Ahokas (Finland) 71 71 76 73, R McIlroy (Holywood) 73 71 74 73 Ahokas won after three hole play-off
292: T Dykes (Wales) 72 75 74 71295: P Murray (Limerick) 77 69 76 73, G Murray (Scotland)
75 71 76 73
296: A Ulvio (Finland) 72 74 79 71, D Belch (England) 72 72 78 74
297: C Cousins (Wales) 77 68 78 74, P O'Hara (Scotland) 76 73 74 74, S Jamieson
(Scotland) 74 76 75 72, J Caldwell (Clandeboye) 69 73 77 78
298: C Mills (Wales) 75 73 76 74, J Lyons (Galway) 72 76 75 75
299: A Wainwright (England) 70 77 79 73
300: R Harris (England) 71 76 78 75
301: B Evans (England) 78 69 77 77, J Van Hoof (Netherlands) 75 75 75 76, D Morgan
(Mullingar) 73 75 82 71, G Bowden (Hermitage) 73 75 79 74
302: B Fotheringham (Scotland) 74 73 80 75, A Rosado (Portugal) 73 75 80 74, P Maddy
(England) 72 74 79 77
303: R Leonard (Banbridge) 72 75 79 77
304: N Edwards (Wales) 75 76 78 75, L Collins (England) 75 76 75 78, S Ward (Co Louth) 75
74 79 76, T Remkes (Netherlands) 73 77 77 77
305: R Maunder (England) 78 73 75 79, S Van Duyn (Netherlands) 76 73 77 79, J King
(Scotland) 71 78 79 77
306: A McAllister (Portmarnock) 75 75 81 75, M Gaynor (U.S.A.) 74 77 78 77
308: K Bornemann (Douglas) 73 76 84 75, B Westgate (England) 73 76 83 76
309: D Houlihan (K Club) 74 76 82 77, T Sistonen (Finland) 73 78 82 76
310: G Mallon (North West) 72 75 85 78, H Leon (Chile) 71 80 77 82
311: J Cameron (England) 76 74 84 77
312: P Figueinedo (Portugal) 76 75 84 77
313: J Smedley (England) 75 75 83 80
314: C Doran (Banbridge) 75 75 86 78, J Morris (Mullingar) 72 78 83 81
RTD: P McGrath (Dromoland) 78 73 84 RTD
DQ: S Lowry (Esker Hills) 73 77 DQ
Non-qualifiers:
152: K Crowley (Lee Valley) 78 74, S Power (West Waterford) 77 75, A O'Callaghan
(Douglas) 76 76, R Wilson (England) 76 76, S Henry (Scotland) 76 76, Z Gould (Wales) 75
77, M Campbell (Stackstown) 75 77, J Gallagher (Scotland) 74 78, J Pernaa (Finland) 72
80, D Antonelli (France) 72 80, J Savolampi (Finland) 71 81
153: D Seaman (England) 78 75, C Martin (Nenagh) 77 76, H Mantyla (Finland) 75 78, J
Carvill (Warrenpoint) 74 79, A McCormick (Scrabo) 74 79
154: A Dultzin (France) 78 76, B McCarroll (Ballyliffin) 78 76, D Perrett (England) 78
76, R Evans (Moyola Park) 77 77, T Pollari (Finland) 76 78, M Salminen (Finland) 73 81
155: M O'Sullivan (Stow Acres) 80 75, G O'Flaherty (Cork) 77 78, D Robertson (Australia)
77 78, D Kelleher (Portmarnock) 77 78, Z Saltman (Scotland) 75 80, P McGibney (Elm Park)
73 82
156: H Joannes (Belgium) 78 78, G Hall (Edenderry) 77 79, T O'Neill (Rathsallagh) 77 79,
M Sinclair (Knock) 76 80, E Saltman (Scotland) 75 81
157: N Grant (Knock) 81 76, B Kruze (England) 80 77, M Poucher (Castle) 80 77, M Brett
(Portmarnock) 80 77, W McCully (Donaghadee) 80 77, E McAnoy (Knock) 79 78, D Finn
(Mallow) 79 78, P O'Keeffe (Douglas) 78 79, B Sigl (Germany) 78 79, A McCloy (Balymena)
78 79, R Cannon (L'town & B'town) 78 79, S Kirstein (Germany) 78 79, M Collins (Sutton)
77 80, E McIntosh (Scotland) 76 81, C Geraghty (England) 76 81, D Carroll (Grange) 75 82
158: M Baroche (France) 81 77, N Kearney (Royal Dublin) 79 79, M Hart (England) 79 79, M
Searle (England) 76 82, C Hughes (Royal Portrush) 74 84
159: R McCarthy (The Island) 80 79, A Hogan (Newlands) 78 81, M Horan (Birr) 78 81, C
Collin (Finland) 77 82, D Van Doren (Belguim) 74 85
160: J Fox (Portmarnock) 81 79, D McInerney (Lahinch) 80 80, R Boal (Scrabo) 80 80, R
Thomas (Wales) 77 83
161: M Hamm (Germany) 81 80, I Korvenmaa (Finland) 78 83, J Somers (L'town & B'town) 78 83
162: E McCormack (Galway) 82 80, R Zwahlen (France) 82 80
163: D O'Brien (Laytown & Bettystown) 87 76, J McGinn (L'town & B'town) 83 80, S Moloney
(Castletroy) 79 84, C Housden (England) 79 84
167: V Depret (France) 85 82
RTD: S Grant (Birr) 78 RTD, S Keenan (Galway) 78 RTD
