Golf Events / Editor / 20 February 2007 /

Indonesia Open - weekend preview

Mikko Ilonen is yet to win on the European Tour but the Finn is well placed to make his breakthrough, after moving into contention at the halfway stage of the Indonesia Open.

The 27-year-old shares the lead with Australian Andrew Tampion on eight-under-par with three holes left of his second round, after storms brought a premature end to Friday's action.

India's Gaurav Ghei, Chapchai Nirat of Thailand and the Korean duo of Nam Young-woo and Suk Jong-yuk lie three strokes adrift with leading Briton Gareth Davies, Alexander Noren and Scott Strange a shot further back.

Ilonen is one of 32 players who will have an early start on Saturday and thunder and lightning played havoc with the playing schedule in Jakarta for the second day running.

But he is a popular choice among Betfair punters to record his maiden tour success this week and is the new market favourite at 4.2 to win in Indonesia - having begun the week trading at 80 to win and 13 to come in the first five.

Tampion can be backed at 8.2 with pre-tournament favourites Thongchai Jaidee and Simon Dyson available at 8.6 and 19.5 to win respectively - despite still having much work to do if they are to figure in the final finish on Sunday.

In-form Thai Prom Meesawat could still be a man to watch as he is only five shots off the lead and is trading at 17 ahead of Nirat (20), Ghei (23), Strange (28), Suk (30), and Nam (36).

The closest Ilonen has come to winning since joining the European Tour came in 2002, when he finished third at the Celtic Manor Wales Open.

It's been a struggle at times for the Finn but finishing 16th at last year's British Open helped him regain his card after playing in just nine events and he has continued his improved form this year.

Ilonen gave warning that his hard work on the range was starting to pay off last week, when he finished joint seventh in Malaysia, and he has carried on where he left off in Indonesia.

It is not just that he is swinging well and holing birdie putts, Ilonen is also managing to get himself out of trouble when the odd shot does go astray. He looks relaxed on the course and is a good bet to be involved at the death on Sunday.

Unlike Ilonen, Tampion will get a lie-in on Saturday after playing 22 holes on Friday but it will be the first time the Australian will sample the pressure of leading a tournament since progressing from Qualifying School and it will be interesting to see how he handles it.

The 22-year-old certainly played well enough to suggest he can win in his second round 67, which included six birdies and just one bogey, but remains very much an unknown quantity and his odds of 1.95 to come in the top five look very short.

Jaidee is normally so competitive in Asia but he has been out of sorts for the last week - and even missed the cut at the Malaysian Open last week.

But the Thai star signalled a return to form on Friday with a four-under par 67 and, at three under for the tournament, cannot be discounted from the equation. He is trading at 2.22 to finish in the top five.

Frankie Minoza, who triumphed in the Philippines two weeks ago and can be backed at 36 to win, Sweden's Henrik Nystrom and Thammanoon Srirot lie on the same mark and will fancy their chances over the weekend.

It would be a remarkable story if Nam were to win on Sunday after only arriving for the tournament on Thursday, just hours before he was due to tee off.

The Korean, who is available at 5 to place in the top five, was attending a friend's wedding on Wednesday but his unusual preparations don't appear to have affected him too much so far.

It would some achievement if Davies (90 to win) and Noren (42) were to triumph so soon after graduating from the Challenge Tour, while defending champion Dyson needs to produce his best golf over the final two days if he is to win for the fifth time in Asia.

Dyson is seven shots behind the leaders with the weekend ahead, but he does have the knowledge that he is a proven winner in the conditions.

And don't be surprised to see teenager Oliver Fisher record yet another best finish in only his fifth tournament on tour.

The 18-year-old, who is now trading at 65 to win and 4.3 to finish in the first five, looked to be heading for his first missed cut as a professional after an opening three-over par round of 74.

But a sparkling second round 67 has hauled him back into the reckoning and no one will be trying harder to climb the leader board than Fisher.

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