A surfer named Irons won the Rip Curl Pro Search men's contest yesterday, but it might not be the one you think.

Bruce Irons of Kaua'i defeated Fred Patacchia Jr. of O'ahu's North Shore to win the final of the World Championship Tour contest at Indonesia.

It was the first career WCT victory for Irons, who said this will be his final year on surfing's "Dream Tour."

"One of my goals when I joined the tour was to win an event and I wasn't sure if it was going to happen since I'll be stepping away after this season," Irons said. "But the waves pumped this event. This is what the Dream Tour should be like all the time. I'm definitely stepping away from the ASP Tour at the end of this year, but I'm not retiring. I'm still planning on competing at Pipeline and Teahupoo and at venues that I can get into."

Irons rallied in the final 10 minutes of the 30-minute final to defeat Patacchia. Irons received scores of 9.33 and 8.33 for two barrel rides for a two-wave total of 17.66.

Patacchia finished with a two-wave total of 11.16.

"I was tripping out in the water when they kept announcing Fred (Patacchia) and I in the final — you never hear that," Irons said. "It was all business though. This is only the second time I've ever made one on Tour and I wasn't about to let it go. I was trying my hardest out there."

The fourth round, quarterfinals, semifinals and final were all run in 4-foot waves yesterday at a secret spot "somewhere" off Indonesia. Irons defeated 2007 world champion Mick Fanning of Australia in his fourth-round heat.

Irons received $30,000 and moved up to No. 10 on the 2008 ratings.

His older brother, Andy Irons, was the two-time defending champion of the Rip Curl Pro Search.

The Rip Curl Pro Search contest is a favorite of the surfers because it is held at a different secret spot around the world each year.

"My brother has won this event twice and all I could think about in the final is how I wanted that trophy," Irons said. "The thing is sick. It was a great event and we're going to have a huge party tonight!"

It was also the best performance of the year for Patacchia, who upset current No. 2-ranked Joel Parkinson of Australia in the fourth round.

"Bruce (Irons) and I are good friends but we were super competitive in that final," Patacchia said. "Both of us wanted to win and we were hassling and trash-talking and everything. I had one wave at the start, but Bruce got two bombs towards the end and I could tell he was really gunning for it."

Patacchia received $18,000 and moved up to No. 14 on the 2008 ratings.

"It feels great to come back after a slow start to the year," Patacchia said. "The waves were so good for this event and I'm bummed I didn't win, but to have Bruce (Irons) there and since he's stepping away, it feels good that we kept the title within Hawai'i."

Andy Irons was eliminated in the fourth round, but remains Hawai'i's top-ranked surfer at No. 7.

Florida's Kelly Slater is still ranked No. 1, despite losing in the third round earlier in the week.

The Rip Curl Pro Search was the sixth of 11 stops on the 2008 tour. The next event is the Boost Mobile Pro, scheduled for Sept. 7 to 13 at Lower Trestles, Calif.