Three-time PGA tour winner, Jonas Blixt opens up about injuries, loss of form, and his desire to return to the summit of the game. David Law doubles up in Finland. The Scot clinched his 2nd HotelPlanner Tour title of the season, holding off a high quality field at the Cooke course.
Heat. [Music] [Applause] Heat. [Music] After two weeks in the British Isles, the Hotel Planetour is in Finland for the Viru Maraki Finnish Challenge supported by Finnish Golf Union. A fixture on the schedule for more than two decades. Just 90 minutes north of Helsinki, the Cook course at Verramaki has been home to this tournament since 2015. Stretching over 7,000 m, this par 72 course is set in rolling countryside. It’s surrounded by beautiful lakes and with its generous fairways, it’s been a proven stage for low scoring year after year. It’s all part of the Verumaki Resort, the sport institute of Finland’s crown jewel. complete with worldclass ice hockey facilities that have trained some of the game’s global greats. The perfect spot then to catch up with our featured Hotel Planetour player of the week with quite the CV. I think the the one that stands out most that watched my career is the second place in the Masters. I never really thought I could play on the PJ tour and to win on it was uh quite surreal for me. Something you used to dream about as a kid. The highs are very high and the lows are quite low and you just trying to find something to grab on to to try the next week or to to make you come back to where you were. [Applause] Hi, I’m Jonas Blakes uh from Sweden and I’m a professional golfer. [Music] [Applause] I I’m from an area that’s known for uh ice hockey and motorsports. So like growing up you a lot of guys wants to be hockey players. I played till I was 17. Not too much ice hockey for me after after that considering I lived in Florida for 20 years and not too many ice rings. It’s It’s been more of a TV thing for me lately. After his college days at Florida State University, Blix turned pro and in 2012, he earned his PGA Tour card. Just 19 starts later, he claimed his first professional title at the Fries.com Open. [Music] The first winning stands out for me cuz I had my family there uh and friends and I grew up wanting to be a hockey player and I was I got a lot worse at hockey and a lot better at golf. That’s what you do when you win. In 2014, Jonas qualified for his first Mast’s appearance at Augusta National. He would end the week as the only player with four subpar rounds, finishing tied second alongside Jordan Speath and three shots behind Bubba Watson. People ask me like how was the back nine on Sunday and I barely remember cuz I was I didn’t don’t remember any people. I don’t remember. I just remember what I wanted to do. I guess I was lucky that way I could keep such a focus at that time. But it’s a very special place and it’s uh treacherous um many times, but it’s beautiful. Sometimes things don’t work out the way you want them to and feel like I still got some game in there. I haven’t been proving that at all lately, especially since my back surgery, but I still feel like there’s times when I feel like I can play some really good golf. And uh I wanted to explore that and give it a chance at least one more year. um and then uh see what happens. His last win came in 2017 and now for the first time in nearly 20 years, he’s back on the Hotel Planet, grateful for the chance to compete again. I think it’s good for the game. I think it it produces better players, which is a better fan experience and better to watch. I also think the tour has gotten a lot better since I played it my first time in 2008. How good the players are out here now compared to, you know, this is this is almost 20 years ago now. It’s very important to have a feeder tour. The hope is to to play well, finish top 20 to get my card back on the on the DP tour. And I grew up watching uh the DP tour or uh and uh to play it was was a dream for me and and to win on it, that’s what I want. That’s that’s what my goal is. I never done it. That’s what drives me from the ice to the fairways. Thursday afternoon and Blixed teed off in round one of the Virumaki Finnish challenge supported by Finnish Golf Union. He was paired up alongside road to Morca rankings leader Josh Bry and Finland’s very own Larry Ruska. [Music] It didn’t take long for the 41-year-old to get into his stride. A solid 3-wood into the back fringe of the par five first. And while the eagle putt would slip by, it left a simple tap in birdie to get his day going. After securing par on the second, he found the front edge of the green at three with his drive, following up with a fine lag putt that set up another birdie. A few further pars followed before Blixed landed a sublime T-shot on the seventh green. He would hold the subsequent putt for his third birdie of the day. His [Music] smooth sailing around the front line finished fittingly with another birdie on the par five ninth. Then at the short par 41 13th, a monster eagle putt. [Music] [Music] though that came up short. He made sure of the birdie to move to five under. There was the odd bump in the road. A huge birdie putt just slipped out at 14. [Music] It was soon followed by his first bogey of the day at 15, but it didn’t dampen spirits too much. Overall, a strong start for the Swede, underlined by a birdie on the last, allowing him to sign for a five under par 67 to finish the first day tied 12th. Pretty good off the tea, really good on the green, pretty poor most of the time with my approaches. I’m walking off the golf course, pretty disappointed with my iron game today, but still shots five under. I think something I did wrong through through my years on tour is that I grinded too hard and I got tired and you know coming weekends I would get really tired. So I’m I’m trying not to grind as hard but I’m still going to go to the range and try to figure out my ironing game for tomorrow. Meanwhile, Spaniard Alvaro Hernandez Cabazuela was making hay, firing an impressive 9 under par 63 to close out round one as the sole leader. Day two in Finland saw an early morning start for Bixed as he set out to build on Thursday’s strong display. A bogey at his opening hole, the 10th, wasn’t in the script, but undeterred at the 11th, a crisp fairway shot to 12 ft set up the perfect response. And in it went to get him back to level for the day. After Thursday’s serene progress, it was a choppy opening to round two. There was another set back at the par 51 12th before the Swede bounced back once again. After taking on the drivable par 41 13th over water with a sensational shot to around 10 ft, that eagle was rolled in to move the suede to six under for the tournament. It was turning into a roller coaster front nine, but the Eagles seemed to steady things and he bagged a further birdie to maintain the momentum. A run of pars began his back nine, but a double bogey at the fourth saw him step backwards before his experience shone through. The 41-year-old rallying with three birdies in his final four holes. A colorful three under pass 69 left Blicks at 8 under and very much in the mix. He was tied 10th heading into the weekend. Certain shots were good and a lot of shots were not that good and I managed to save myself quite a bit. I don’t think the T- shots were as good today. Um, irons were even poorer today than yesterday. I just feel like I need a break right now. Try to figure out something kind of major for tomorrow to to solve it. Elsewhere, George Mason fired a six underpass 66 to take charge at the halfway stage in Finland. In a day with plenty of highlights, this was perhaps the pick of them. His approach, setting up one of eight birdies to see the Englishman to 13 under, one clear of Anton Alers with two rounds left. Coming up, we rewind two years to a remarkable week for one of Finland’s own and a truly unforgettable round. And we’ll find out who earned top spot by the finish in Finland. See you after the break. Welcome back to the Hotel Planet Tour. We’re in Finland this time for the 16th edition of the Verum Maki Finnish challenge supported by Finnish Golf Union. England’s George Mason led the way with a one-shot advantage at the halfway stage, leaving it wide open heading into the weekend. Germany’s Anton Elers and Scotland’s David Law were among those in a packed chasing group, all with their eyes on the prize. With so many in with a shout, much could still change over the next 36 holes describing some of the key moments on moving day. Here’s Josh And leader George Mason had a nervy start to day three, dropping two shots in his first three holes. This was him on the seventh. Great T-shot here. Englishman then went on and steadied the ship with three birdies in the next seven. But a tough finish saw him drop five shots in the last four holes, slipping back to nine under. Last week’s winner, Oyen Giller Mondigi, full of confidence, he did seem to find trouble on the ninth hole, but a superb pitch for his third shot, set up a birdie putt for the Frenchman from about 12 ft out. Rolling this one home. getting himself to 11 under par at the end of the day. The night seemed to be a favorite in round three. Alvaro Hernandez Cabazuela with this superb eagle par never looked like it was going to get there, but it did. That moved him to within one of the lead, but a couple of drop shots on the back nine saw him finish at 10 under par. Ever steady Jonas Blicks. Rounds of 67 and 69 for the 41year-old Swede showed all his experience here with a lovely chip on 14, helping him save par. He’d keep grinding on Saturday and finish just two off the lead. Still very much in the mix heading into Sunday. Plenty of birdies in the meantime for Nick Carlson with the American producing the round of the day in Finland. How about this? 60 ft on the seventh. Absolutely delighted was Carlson. An incredible 10 birdies on the day as he signed for a stunning nine under pass 65. You just started walking before you even hit the ball. It’s a game of two halves really for Scotland’s David Law. Two over through 10, but then he did seem to find his rhythm. Birdies at 13 and this lovely chip in at 15 moved him to 11 under par and suddenly he was back in the hunt. And Etchanik quietly was making his move up the leaderboard. impressing the crowd with a stretch of birdies on the final three holes. He narrowly missed for Eagle here at 18, but he would tap in for Birdie to post a 66 and he would take the lead into the final day. [Music] But L wasn’t done. Another birdie at 16 and this confident stroke on 18 dropped for a final birdie of the day. the team in the final group on Sunday chasing his second Hotel Planet Tour title of the season. [Music] So after three rounds, it was Andoni Achinik setting the pace at 14 under. But with America’s Nick Carlson and the experience of David Law and Jonas Bixed in close proximity, it would be all to play for come Sunday. I’m very proud of myself to stay stay patient. Um and at the end um on the on the last few holes I I managed well and I put it I made a few puts so that was good. It’s good to have opportunities and I’ll try to do my best more. [Music] Two years ago at this event Rushka produced a week to remember. He became just the fourth player in Hotel Planetour history to break 60 when he produced a stunning opening round of 59. A sensational round of golf from Lowry Ruska. The course seems to be in great shape and uh familiar players and good memories. So, it’s quite cool to be back. Looking forward to it. I think the previous week I I played decent in Scotland. I think I think I finished like something top 15. So I had a good I had a good feeling of my game but obviously you never prepared for 59 so that came as a surprise but honestly of the front nine I do don’t remember much here the seventh it was a back right pin and I remember it was a little bit like uncomfortable distance I remember my my caddy says said like just hit a good pace it’s all about a good pace since we’re this far and end up making a putt From here it was a nice little lumber breaker right to left and left to right at the end and middle of the hole. There was a nice little bonus here. Honestly, I have to say that I I stayed in the moment pretty well throughout the whole day and I didn’t think about the score too much at any point really except the last hole when I was walking down the green and I was thinking like I was counting down like um yeah, I have a part for 58 there. So that was actually the only only in the first time that I was thinking the score. But before that, I wasn’t really thinking too much. I was just trying to make every shot as good as I could. When I was walking up the green, I got nervous and my hands were shaking and uh the pot that I had was like downhill. And when your hands are shaking, they the downhill putts, they somehow get a little bit faster. But it was still a nice tap in for for 59. So, it was kind of a good relief. Anyway, I remember the hill here on the left was full of people and my family and friends there. It’s just one of those days as we all know like you some sometimes you get these days you just you just see every single line. You just you just get up to the green, you look at the you could look at the line and you just see, okay, that’s the line and we’re going to go with that. And that was pretty much what happened all day. 2930 59 – 12 today. Congratulations. Sounds pretty good. Yeah. Thank you very much. And a calm, collected Ruska saw the job through, cruising to a sevenshot victory to claim his maiden tour title, capping a fairy tale week. [Applause] But what of the here and now? Who would take top honors in 2025 for the final round drama? It’s back to Josh. Antonio here on the par three fourth was 15 under par for the tournament up to this point. This lovely T- shot set him up for Birdie. 27-year-old though he led for much of the front nine but a few drop shots on the back nine saw him slip into a tie for fifth finishing at 13 under par for the week. Meanwhile, David Law was back at it with an impressive chip here onto the fourth green setting up a very important birdie. Just what he needed after a bogey on the third. Great bounce back. Back to our feature player Jonas Blicks. Fantastic approach here at five. He opened his round with back-to- back birdies, but a double bogey on three set him back before this shot on five. And then he caught fire at the end of his front nine with a hat-tick of birdies from the par 38. In the meantime, Alfie Plant was enjoying himself with a great front nine. A superb approach here into the ninth left just short of an eagle, but it was an easy tap in for his fifth birdie. enough for the Englishman to take the lead. No top 10 all year for Alfie and he was on fine form. A superb long birdie putt here on 11 which saw a move to seven under for the day. No drop shots for the 33y old putting him one shot clear of Blicks in contention for the title. Meanwhile, David Law was truly having a solid round of golf. Huge crowds out on Sunday. And this 3-wood off the par 4 13th T would allow him to go and two P for a birdie putting the pressure on and leaving him just one behind leader Alfie Plant. Back to Blick on the penultimate hole. Fantastic T-shot here on 17. Set up another important birdie to get him to 16 under par. The pressure was fully on for Plant at this point, leaving him no room for error. Nerves, however, seemed to get the better of him. Bogey on 15 and then this short parup missed on 17 essentially cost him the Hotel Planetour title, which he’s been looking for this season. Real frustration for Plant. One man who didn’t seem to feel any pressure, however, was David Law. Blicks and plant both bogeied 18 and all that was needed for the Scotsman was a par. Fantastic approach on 18 however set him up to finish in style and walk down to the applause of the Finnish crowds. [Music] Birdie finish in Finland for David Law and he wins his second Hotel Planet Tour event this season. All smiles for law as he’s now one step closer to that allimportant third win. Confirmation of those final numbers then. Jonas Blick rolling back the years and steering things home to second place shared with Alfie Plant at 15 under. There was another decent week for Frenchman Oan Giam, but ruling the roost once again in a sensational summer stretch was Scotland’s David Law. You know, it was quite a a tricky day. Obviously, you know that guys are going to come from behind. Um, Alfie, Jonas played really well obviously. Um, so they put a lot of pressure on. Um, so you kind of had to be aware of like what guys were doing around you. I’d love to win the rankings. You know, my main aim at the start of the year was to finish in the top 20 and get my car back for the tour. To win it now is obviously, you know, well within my grasp and definitely the goal for the the rest of the season I’m going to play. So, a look at the road to Morca rankings and thanks to that second win of the season. David Law is the man to catch now, assuming top spot in the standings. Further down, Nick Carlson’s great week saw him upwardly mobile and into the top 20, timing his run well as we turn towards the final push in the next few weeks. And with that, we say farewell to Finland, where a Scotsman laid down the law and took a giant step towards the DP World Tour. Up next, the class of 2025 travel 2,000 km southwest to the Netherlands for the Dutch futures where the pursuit of promotion from the Hotel Planetour continues. [Music]
