Finland will host the first leg of a Scandinavian double-header on the European Challenge Tour in August.
The Vierumäki Finnish Challenge, returning for an 11th season on the Challenge Tour International Schedule, will take place from August 1-4, before Europe’s top developmental tour heads to Denmark the following week.
First appearing on the Challenge Tour in 2001, the Vierumäki Finnish Challenge has become a firm favourite with the locals and the Finnish fans were treated to a special performance last year.
Ahead of the final round, three Finns stood inside the top ten – Kim Koivu tied first, Antti Ahokas tied third and Kalle Samooja tied eighth. Koivu shot a final round of 66, including a birdie on the 71st hole, to go into a play-off with Robert MacIntyre. On the first extra hole the home star delighted the crowd with a birdie to seal victory.
Koivu became the first Finnish winner of the Vierumäki Finnish Challenge – his second win of the year – en route to becoming the only Challenge Tour player to claim three victories in 2018 as he graduated to the European Tour.
