Good vibes for McGrane and Dunbar

Mikko Illonen kisses the Nordea Masters Trophy. ©Getty ImagesMikko Ilonen claimed the big prize but Damien McGrane and Alan Dunbar may yet reflect on the Nordea Masters as the turning points in their seasons.

The veteran Kells man closed with a four under 68 to finish tied for 14th - his best finish on the European Tour since he was second to Michael Hoey in the Trophée Hassan II in Morocco more than 14 months ago.

McGrane earned €20,725 for his trouble and moved up to 101st in the Race to Dubai while rookie Dunbar made his first cheque in a main tour event, €3,300, despite shooting weekend rounds of 75 and 74 for a share of 66th on two over.

At the other end of the leaderboard, Finn Ilonen marched to his first European Tour title for six years at Bro Hof Slott Golf Club on the outskirts of Stockholm.

The 33 year old started the day two clear and a final round of three under par 69 ensured a 21 under total and three shot victory margin over Sweden’s Jonas Blixt, with Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger taking third on 17 under.

Ilonen hit his approach to three feet on the second to set up a birdie, then converted from twice that length for another at the next.

After turning in 34 he birdied the 11th from 12 feet, before his only set-back with a three-putt bogey at the long 12th.

A sublime chip to three feet at the next quickly atoned for that error, and there were no dramas over the closing stretch.

“It’s pretty special,” said Ilonen. “I could feel a lot of support from Finland, especially today, and it means a lot to win this event for the second time.”

Nordea Masters 2013, final:

267 M Ilonen  (Fin) 70 63 65 69,

270 J Blixt  (Swe) 70 66 66 68,

271 B Wiesberger  (Aut) 69 72 64 66,

272 M Manassero (Ita) 66 65 71 70, R Karlberg  (Swe) 69 68 67 68, T Björn (Den) 70 67 68 67, A Noren  (Swe) 67 69 64 72,

273 R Fisher (Eng) 72 67 70 64,

274 F Aguilar (Chi) 71 67 70 66, J Quesne  (Fra) 73 67 66 68,

275 H Norlander (Swe) 73 67 67 68, J Donaldson (Wal) 67 70 72 66, J Luiten (Ned) 68 67 70 70,

276 S Kjeldsen (Den) 70 69 69 68, P Larrazábal (Esp) 66 70 70 70, D McGrane (Irl) 73 67 68 68, G Havret  (Fra) 69 70 70 67, M Jiménez (Esp) 72 67 68 69, P Whiteford (Sco) 71 63 73 69,

277 E Grillo (Arg) 69 71 70 67,

278 P Lawrie (Sco) 70 71 68 69, P Uihlein  (USA) 71 70 68 69, R Johnson (Swe) 72 66 71 69, F Molinari (Ita) 70 67 73 68, J Olazábal (Esp) 72 68 71 67, R Davies (Wal) 69 70 68 71,

279 A Cañizares  (Esp) 68 72 70 69, D Drysdale (Sco) 71 68 71 69, M Kieffer (Ger) 71 69 69 70,

280 P Hanson (Swe) 69 69 73 69, K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 73 69 70 68, C Lloyd (Eng) 67 73 73 67, S Dyson  (Eng) 70 70 71 69, A Quiros  (Esp) 71 68 70 71, R Kakko  (Fin) 71 68 70 71, J Hansen  (Den) 69 73 67 71,

281 R Bland (Eng) 72 70 70 69, R Gonzalez (Arg) 71 71 71 68, S Wakefield (Eng) 67 73 72 69, L Slattery (Eng) 72 69 71 69, C Doak (Sco) 72 68 71 70, T Fleetwood  (Eng) 72 70 72 67, S Benson (Eng) 70 71 68 72,

282 C Lee (Sco) 72 70 67 73, A Dodt (Aus) 77 65 67 73, E De La Riva  (Esp) 71 70 71 70, M Foster (Eng) 73 68 73 68, F Andersson Hed (Swe) 67 72 72 71,

283 A Sullivan (Eng) 71 70 70 72,

284 M Carlsson  (Swe) 70 71 71 72, E Goya (Arg) 73 68 71 72,

285 S Chowrasia (Ind) 71 69 74 71, P Casey  (Eng) 74 68 77 66, S Hansen (Den) 71 70 69 75, J Sjöholm (Swe) 69 73 71 72,

286 S Little (Eng) 73 69 75 69, J Lagergren (Swe) 70 72 73 71, M Baldwin (Eng) 71 69 73 73,

 287 J Campillo (Esp) 72 68 72 75, G Orr (Sco) 68 71 72 76, L Jensen (Den) 71 68 72 76, R Green (Aus) 70 72 76 69, G Bourdy (Fra) 70 71 71 75,

 288 R Ramsay  (Sco) 70 70 72 76,

 289 J Parry (Eng) 68 73 73 75,

 290 A Dunbar (Nir) 72 69 75 74,

 291 A Hartø  (Den) 72 68 74 77,

 292 P Erofejeff (Fin) 70 71 76 75, M Southgate  (Eng) 70 71 73 78, M Tullo (Chi) 70 71 77 74,

 293 F Zanotti (Par) 72 66 76 79, P Martin Benavides (Esp) 69 72 71 81,

 296 J Edfors (Swe) 71 70 76 79,

 297 M Campbell (Nzl) 75 67 75 80