Antti Ahokas
Encyclopedia
Antti Juhani Ahokas is a Finnish
professional golf
er.
Ahokas was born in Lappeenranta
. After winning the Finnish Amateur Stroke Play Championship in 2005, he moved to the United States
to attend the University of Minnesota
, but left after just three months to return to Europe and further his ambitions as a professional
.
Having turned professional in 2006, Ahokas just failed to come through the European Tour
final qualifying school
, and joined the second tier Challenge Tour
for the 2007 season. In 2008, he won for the first time at the Abierto VISA de la Republica
, becoming the first left-hander to take that title. Later in the season he won again at the ECCO Tour Championship
, and gained promotion the elite European Tour by ending the season ranked 19th on the money list.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
professional golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er.
Ahokas was born in Lappeenranta
Lappeenranta
Lappeenranta is a city and municipality that resides on the shore of the lake Saimaa in South-Eastern Finland, about from the Russian border. It belongs to the region of South Karelia. With approximately inhabitants Lappeenranta is the largest city in Finland...
. After winning the Finnish Amateur Stroke Play Championship in 2005, he moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to attend the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, but left after just three months to return to Europe and further his ambitions as a professional
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
.
Having turned professional in 2006, Ahokas just failed to come through the European Tour
PGA European Tour
The PGA European Tour is an organization which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the European Seniors Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England...
final qualifying school
Qualifying school
In professional golf the term qualifying school is used for the annual qualifying tournaments for leading golf tours such as the U.S. based PGA and LPGA Tours and the European Tour. A fixed number of players in the event win membership of the tour for the following season, otherwise known as a...
, and joined the second tier Challenge Tour
Challenge Tour
The Challenge Tour is the second tier men's professional golf tour in Europe. It is operated by the PGA European Tour and as with on the main European Tour and the European Seniors Tour, some of the events are played outside of Europe...
for the 2007 season. In 2008, he won for the first time at the Abierto VISA de la Republica
Argentine Open
The Argentine Open or Abierto de la República or Abierto de Argentina is one of the oldest national golf open championships. First played in 1905, it has featured numerous notable winners including major champions Jimmy Demaret , Lloyd Mangrum , Tom Weiskopf , Craig Stadler , Mark Calcavecchia ,...
, becoming the first left-hander to take that title. Later in the season he won again at the ECCO Tour Championship
ECCO Tour Championship
The ECCO Tour Championship is the most prestigious golf tournament on the Denmark based ECCO Tour, being jointly sanctioned by Europe's second tier Challenge Tour. It has run annually since 2006...
, and gained promotion the elite European Tour by ending the season ranked 19th on the money list.
Amateur wins
- 2004 Finnish Amateur Match Play Championship, Finnish Amateur International Open Championship
- 2005 Finnish Amateur Stroke Play Championship
- 2006 Irish Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship
Challenge Tour wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 Apr 2008 2008 Challenge Tour The 2008 Challenge Tour was a series of golf tournaments known as the Challenge Tour, the official development tour run by the PGA European Tour... |
Abierto Visa de la Republica | 3 strokes |  Martin Monguzzi |
|
| 2 | 31 Aug 2008 | ECCO Tour Championship ECCO Tour Championship The ECCO Tour Championship is the most prestigious golf tournament on the Denmark based ECCO Tour, being jointly sanctioned by Europe's second tier Challenge Tour. It has run annually since 2006... |
1 stroke |  Wil BesselingWil Besseling Wil Besseling is a Dutch professional golfer.Besseling was born in Utrecht. He won the Dutch Amateur Match Play Championship in 2001, just two years after taking up the sport... ,  Eirik Tage JohansenEirik Tage Johansen Eirik Tage Johansen is a Norwegian professional golfer.Johansen was born in the United States, and returned to the country of his birth as a successful amateur golfer, taking up a golf scholarship at the University of South Carolina, where he was a member of the golf team... ,  Roope KakkoRoope Kakko Roope Kakko is a Finnish professional golfer.Kakko was born in Espoo, Finland. He started playing golf at the age of five.... , Taco RemkesTaco Remkes Taco Remkes is a Dutch professional golfer who currently plays on the European Tour.Remkes earned his place on the European Tour for the 2009 season by winning three times on the Challenge Tour in 2008 on his way to 3rd on the final rankings... |
Nordic League wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 Jun 2005 | Sonera Open | 5 strokes | Heikki Mäntylä |
|
| 2 | 9 Sep 2006 | Gant Open | 1 stroke | Sakari Sauli Aho |
Team appearances
Amateur- Jacques Léglise TrophyJacques Léglise TrophyThe Jacques Léglise Trophy is an annual boys' team golf competition between Great Britain & Ireland and the Continent of Europe. It was inaugurated in 1958 and is organised by the R&A. Great Britain & Ireland dominated in the early years to such an extent that it was discontinued in 1966. It was...
: 2002 - Eisenhower TrophyEisenhower TrophyThe Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
: 2004, 2006 - St Andrews TrophySt Andrews TrophyThe St Andrews Trophy is a biennial men's team golf tournament contested between teams of amateur golfers representing Great Britain & Ireland and Continental Europe. It takes its name from St Andrews in Scotland, which is colloquially known as the "Home of Golf". The competition was founded in...
: 2006 - Bonallack Trophy: 2006 (winners)
External links
- Antti Ahokas – profile at golfdata.se