Roope Kakko sparkling final-round secures Madeira Islands Open

Finland's Roope Kakko fired a sparkling final-round 63 to secure the European Tour Madeira Islands Open by a convincing three-shot margin.

The 33-year-old, who burst into contention at the Clube De Golf do Santo da Serra on Saturday with a 64 to lie one shot behind leader Pontus Widegren at the 54-hole mark, continued his stunning weekend by going one better on Sunday.

He picked up four shots on the front nine — including three straight birdies from the fifth — and then kicked off the back nine with an eagle at the par-four 10th before collecting three more birdies en route to his nine-under-par round.

Scott Henry finished second, 21 under for the tournament, after a final-round 66, with his fellow Scot Andrew McArthur a further three strokes back in third after matching Kakko's 63.

Swede Widegren had to settle for a share of fourth spot after posting a level-par 72 – his worst round of the week. He was level with countryman Sebastian Soderberg, who moved to 16 under courtesy of a 65 on Sunday.

The Irish duo of Ruaidhri McGee and Kevin Phelan both finshed on four under with respective final rounds of 70 and 77 giving them a tie for 46th place.

The triumph was Kakko's first on the European Tour, in his 85th event, and made him the second Finnish player to win on the European Tour — after Mikko Ilonen.

It could move the 33-year-old to just outside the top 250 in the world rankings, from 514th.

“I’m speechless,” the two-time Challenge Tour winner said. “I came here to try to win this event and change my career, so I’m over the moon to have done it.

“There was a lot of pressure but I had some pretty good thoughts in me, so I was able to handle it. Sometimes it doesn’t go the way you plan it but it all went my way today.

“I told myself to just stick to my game plan and eventually I’m going to make a few. I actually targeted a 67 today and I went a bit lower than that, so that was great.

“On Saturday I had a plan to just get into contention on Sunday and it worked. Scott and I played incredible golf today.

“This is definitely the best moment of my career but I have to say that it really helped me to have won two years ago on the Challenge Tour in Oman. I was at a stage where I really needed to win and I did it, and that really helped me today, calmed me down when the pressure was on.”

Kakko’s winning total of 264 (24 under) was the lowest winning score in the history of the Madeira Islands Open.

The Espoo player let out an almighty roar after sealing the victory with a par putt at the 18th and afterwards admitted the enormity of the occasion had taken its toll.

“I was really nervous coming down the stretch on the last five holes,” he said. “I almost started crying with three holes to go – I was really getting emotional. But my caddie was very helpful – he gave me a couple of songs to sing and cracked a few jokes and that really helped me get into the moment.

“Of course, I’m playing on the European Tour so that changes everything. I might take a bit of a break now, not play many events towards the end of the year, and really be ready to play alongside the best players in the world next season.”

Meanwhile Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat beat Robert Karlsson by one hole in the final of the inaugural Paul Lawrie Matchplay in Aberdeen.

Aphibarnrat secured his second European Tour title of the year when after losing three holes in a row he recovered to win on the final green at Murcar Golf Links.