Finland’s Mikko Ilonen was crowned World Match Play champion in Kent on Sunday.

Ilonen beat top seed Henrik Stenson 3&1 in front of impressive crowds at The London Club.

The first three holes of the final were halved and it was Stenson who drew first blood, the Swede making a birdie at the fourth to go one up.

But he bogeyed the next, allowing Ilonen to level things up immediately.

Things started to go wrong for Stenson, the World No.5, when he put his approach shot at the eighth into the water. Ilonen won the hole with a birdie to move ahead for the first time.

And he never relinquinshed that lead, winning the 11th and 12th holes to go three clear.

Stenson did win the 13th and 15th holes, but they sandwiched another Ilonen victory at the 14th.

It was all over when Stenson conceded at the 17th, handing Ilonen the biggest win of his career.

The Finn had earlier beaten Joost Luiten, of the Netherlands, 2&1 in the semi-finals.

Stenson edged past South Africa's George Coetzee by one hole in their last-four clash but he wasn't at his best in the final as Ilonen claimed the €650,000 winner's cheque.

Luiten finished third at the tournament after winning his play-off match against Coetzee.