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Roope Kakko

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Roope Kakko
Personal information
Born (1982-02-13) 13 February 1982 (age 42)
Espoo, Finland
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight82 kg (181 lb; 12.9 st)
Sporting nationality Finland
ResidenceEspoo, Finland
SpouseMinea Blomqvist
Children1
Career
Turned professional2004
Current tour(s)Challenge Tour
Former tour(s)European Tour
Professional wins8
Number of wins by tour
European Tour1
Challenge Tour3
Other5
Achievements and awards
Finnish Tour
Order of Merit winner
2024

Roope Kakko (born 13 February 1982) is a Finnish professional golfer.

Early life and career

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Kakko was born in Espoo, Finland. He started playing golf at the age of five.

In 2004, Kakko became only the third amateur to win a tournament on the Challenge Tour, when he won his home event, the Volvo Finnish Open. The win earned him a Challenge Tour card for the following season, and having turned professional later in 2004, he joined the Challenge Tour full-time. He was a regular on the tour for the next five seasons, although he did not win again, with a best finish on the money list of 27th in 2008, when he was twice a runner-up. His strong 2008 season gained Kakko entry into a small number of European Tour events, and he capitalised on those opportunities by making successive top-10 finishes at the 2009 BMW Italian Open and 3 Irish Open. Despite these successes, his limited playing opportunities meant Kakko returned to the Challenge Tour full-time in 2010, but at the end of that season he came through the Qualifying School to secure full membership of the European Tour for the first time. In October 2013, Kakko would win at the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic on the Challenge Tour.

Personal life

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Kakko's wife is the LPGA Tour golfer Minea Blomqvist; they have one child. He is friends with American band Avenged Sevenfold.[1]

Professional wins (8)

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European Tour wins (1)

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No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory
Runner-up
1 2 Aug 2015 Madeira Islands Open - Portugal - BPI1 −24 (66-71-64-63=264) 3 strokes Scotland Scott Henry

1Dual-ranking event with the Challenge Tour

Challenge Tour wins (3)

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No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1 4 Jul 2004 Volvo Finnish Open
(as an amateur)
−11 (68-67-67=202)* Playoff England Phillip Archer, Sweden Johan Axgren
2 27 Oct 2013 National Bank of Oman Golf Classic −14 (70-69-66-69=274) 2 strokes Denmark Lucas Bjerregaard
3 2 Aug 2015 Madeira Islands Open - Portugal - BPI1 −24 (66-71-64-63=264) 3 strokes Scotland Scott Henry

*Note: The 2004 Volvo Finnish Open was shortened to 54 holes due to rain.
1Dual-ranking event with the European Tour

Challenge Tour playoff record (1–1)

No. Year Tournament Opponent(s) Result
1 2004 Volvo Finnish Open
(as an amateur)
England Phillip Archer, Sweden Johan Axgren Won with birdie on first extra hole
2 2008 Margara Diehl-Ako Platinum Open Netherlands Taco Remkes Lost to birdie on first extra hole

Nordic Golf League wins (1)

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No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory
Runner-up
1 20 Jun 2004 Sonera Open
(as an amateur)
−10 (68-67-71=206) Playoff Finland Heikki Mäntylä

Finnish Tour wins (4)

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No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory
Runner-up
1 15 Sep 2018 Vierumäki Tour Final −15 (73-66-62=201) 8 strokes Finland Jaakko Mäkitalo
2 7 Jun 2020 Finnish Tour I −17 (66-66-67=199) Playoff Finland Matias Honkala
3 16 May 2021 Finnish Tour Opening −1 (72-72-71=215) Playoff Finland Miki Kuronen
4 14 Sep 2024 Finnish Tour Final (2) −10 (68-67-71=206) Playoff Finland Niclas Hellberg

Team appearances

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Amateur

Professional

See also

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References

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  1. ^ European Tour biography
  2. ^ "European Amateur Team Championships, Results". European Golf Association. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
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