Mikko Ilonen

Take a look at the Mikko Ilonen In The Bag video where he talks through his line-up for 2015.

How many Tour professionals get to choose exactly what clubs to carry, free from the restraints of headline equipment sponsors? Well Mikko Ilonen can pretty much take his pick. Take a look at our fascinating Mikko Ilonen In The Bag video interview above where he talks through his line-up for 2015.

Mikko Ilonen In The Bag details:

Driver: TaylorMade SLDR S

Fairway wood: Titleist 915 F

Hybrid: Titleist 915 H

3 & 4 iron: Titleist 714 U

5-PW: Titleist 714 AP2

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM5 47˚, 55˚ & 59˚

Putter: Odyssey Versa #1 Black

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Mikko Ilonen heads into 2015 after his best ever year on the European Tour. His victory at the Volvo World Match Play Championship in October followed his fourth European Tour win at the Irish Open four months preceding. Combined with a career high major finish of T7 at the USPGA Championship and a 2nd placed-finish at the Qatar Masters, Ilonen left an indelible mark on the professional circuit.

Watch more what's in the bag videos

Crucially, Ilonen is just inside the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings, which will give him automatic eligibility for golf’s biggest events including the World Golf Championships and majors. For the first time since 2001, Ilonen will have received an invite from the committee at 2604 Washington Road to compete in the 2015 Masters Tournament. Despite his slow start to the year, his current form and confidence must surely mean he’ll navigate his way around the ethereal Augusta turf more successfully than in his only previous visit; a missed cut.

 

Strength - Putting

28.57 – Ilonen’s average putts per round for 2014. The fifth lowest on Tour, and a career best.

 

Weakness – Driving

283.5 – Mikko’s average driving distance put him 119th in the European Tour standings last year. Combined with occupying 102nd place in driving accuracy, it would seem this is his ‘achilles heel’.

 

Event tip – Nordea Masters

Despite an average (by his standards) week in 2014, Ilonen won the event in 2013 and finished T3 in 2012. He also won it in its previous guise in 2007. Clearly, returning to a familiar part of the world pays dividends for the tall Finn.

Neil Tappin
Editor

In July 2023, Neil became just the 9th editor in Golf Monthly's 112-year history. Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he has also presented many Golf Monthly videos looking at all areas of the game from Tour player interviews to the rules of golf. 

Throughout his time with the brand he has also covered equipment launches that date back well over a decade. He clearly remembers the launch of the Callaway and Nike square drivers as well as the white TaylorMade driver families, such as the RocketBallz! If you take a look at the Golf Monthly YouTube channel, you'll see his equipment videos dating back over a decade! He has also conducted 'What's In The Bag' interviews with many of the game's best players like Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm. Over the years, Neil has tested a vast array of products in each category and at drastically different price-points. 


Neil is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus Fairway Wood: Titleist TSR2 Hybrid: Titleist TS3 Irons: PING Blueprint S (4&5), PING Blueprint T (6-PW) Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 50˚, 54˚, 60˚ Putter: Odyssey Triple Track Ten Ball: Titleist Pro V1X