Mikko Ilonen’s reward for being last man into the WGC – Cadillac Match Play was a first day match with Masters Champion Jordan Spieth, but the Finn is relishing the chance to take down golf’s hottest property at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.
Ilonen was travelling to America’s West Coast as the tournament’s first reserve, so boarded a flight from China on Sunday not knowing whether or not his long journey would be made in vain. Upon arriving in San Francisco, the 35 year old called his wife to say he had touched down safely and was told that Phil Mickelson had withdrawn from the event, guaranteeing his place in the 64-man field.
The Monday morning group draw then saw him paired with Spieth on day one, followed by respective meetings with Lee Westwood and Matt Every on Thursday and Friday to determine who advances to the last 16 on Saturday.
Not many observers will give Ilonen much hope against the new Masters Champion, but Mikko is something of a match play specialist having won the British Amateur Championship back in 2000 before lifting the Volvo World Match Play title last October, defeating Ryder Cup star and World Number Three Henrik Stenson in the final to take the title.
“Hey, it’s match play and anything can happen – we all know that,” said Ilonen. “I definitely don’t have anything to lose against Jordan. If you look at how good he has been recently, and as much as I hate to say it, how bad I have been lately, then there really is nothing for me to lose.
“My form has been poor but we know how quickly it can turn in this game and maybe match play is what I need to get to going. I have a pretty good match play record and I have to say that wining the Volvo Match Play at the London Club last year was basically got me into this tournament.
“That win is basically what got my ranking high enough to sneak in here and beating a lot of the European Ryder Cup players in that tournament so soon after they had won in Gleneagles gave me a lot of confidence and belief that I can do well in this format.
“No matter what happens this week, I am here to enjoy and see what happens.”
