After losing out in a play-off to Sergio Garcia last year at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters, Mikko Ilonen hopes to continue the fine form that earned him two titles in 2014 off the back off his narrow loss at Doha Golf Club.
Just 12 months ago, Ilonen was unable to match his Spanish opponent’s trio of birdies in extra holes, but he used that slender defeat as a springboard to his best season in The Race to Dubai, finishing in a career-high 18th place.
His Irish Open triumph last June was the first triumph of 2014, before the Finn snatched a second win of the season four months later, after a closely fought all-Scandinavian final against Sweden’s Henrik Stenson at the Volvo World Match Play Championship.
That victory at London Golf Club – part of the respected European Tour Properties network – ensured the second multiple win season of Ilonen’s career, after victories in Indonesia and on home soil in 2007, and as a result, the 35 year old feels he has moved to another level and is looking to push on again this week in Qatar.
“I feel quite good going into this week, as last year in Abu Dhabi I missed the cut, and this year I made it, so I’ve had a little more practice there,” said Ilonen, who is ranked 47th on the Official World Golf Ranking.
“There are some good shots in there at the moment. There are also a few more so-so ones too, but I still generally feel better than I did a year ago.
“This time last year I was struggling with a problem in my left leg, and I couldn’t really get through the ball, so the course will probably play a little shorter than it did for me last year, when I was only hitting it at about 90 per cent.
“That was a good start to last year though, as we’re all looking for a kick-start early on, and I got that with two good finishes (he followed the Qatar near-miss with tied fifth in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic a week later), which did help for the rest of the season.
“I am looking ahead now, not so much looking back, but I am trying to learn from the things I have done before and take some confidence with me – that’s all you can do.
“I would definitely expect to play well again in Qatar, as there are more tee shots there that suit my eye compared to last week in Abu Dhabi. You have to learn the greens though as they have more grain than last week, as they are a little grassier, so getting to grips with those is the key to playing well.
“I definitely feel good ahead of this week though, as my game is in good shape.”
Ilonen will be joined in Qatar by the defending champion, Garcia, who is currently ranked fifth in the World Ranking. The pair will tee it up alongside former winner Stenson, currently second in the global list, as well as Justin Rose, who is World Number Six.
Former Masters Tournament winner Charl Schwartzel will also appear in Doha, no doubt looking to continue the fine form that has this season yielded top ten finishes in the South African Open Championship, where he lost in a play-off, and in Abu Dhabi.
Fellow South African Branden Grace, who won in December at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, will also tee it up at the Peter Harradine-designed layout, as will compatriots – and former Qatar winners – Ernie Els and Darren Fichardt.
Paul Lawrie has won twice in Doha, and he will return once again in 2015 looking to add to his victories in 1999 and 2013.
