The European Challenge Tour returns to Finland next week for the GANT Open, celebrating not just a new title sponsor and new venue, but a fantastic period for Finnish golf following Roope Kakko’s victory at the Madeira Open – Portugal – BPI last week.
This year the tournament is at the Aura GC in Turku, with GANT joining the event as title sponsors for the first time.
Last year’s event, held at Kytӓjӓ Golf, was won by Mark Tullo, the high point of a stellar season for the Chilean as he also recorded eight top ten finishes on his way to graduating to The European Tour in fifth place in the Challenge Tour Rankings.
This year’s event is sure to have added interest, not just because of a new venue and sponsor, but also due to Kakko’s breakthrough win in Portugal.
Kakko graduated from the Challenge Tour in 2013, helped by victory at the National Bank of Oman Classic, and became the second Finnish winner of a European Tour event after Mikko Ilonen, himself a former Challenge Tour player.
33 year old Kakko shot a flawless final round of 63 at the Clube de Golf do Santo da Serra to beat Scott Henry by three shots, and the excitement this generated back in his home country is sure to boost the Gant Open when the Challenge Tour lands on Finnish soil next week.
