Czech Open

ENGLAND’S Oliver Fisher celebrated his first European Tour triumph yesterday when he won the Czech Open.

He shot a three-under 69 to finish 13 under – two shots clear of Swede Mikael Lundberg at the Propser Golf Resort.

Birdies at the seventh, eighth and ninth put 22-year-old Fisher in a good position going into the back nine where three more birdies and three bogeys secured his maiden title.

Fisher said: “It feels fantastic. I’ve put a lot of hard work in and to come out – on my fifth season on Tour – and finally win feels like now I’m there. I’ve proven to myself I can win.”

• His first European Tour International Schedule victory in his 147th European Tour event.
• Moves to €271,318 in The Race to Dubai and to just outside the top 70 from 224th.
• Moves from 507th in the Official World Golf Ranking to inside the top 240.
• This victory beats his previous best European Tour finishes of second in the 2008 MAPFRE Open de Andalucia by Valle Romano and the 2010 Madeira Islands Open BPI – Portugal.
• This victory beats his previous best 2011 performance of tied 35th in the Nordea Masters.
• Second time he has led or shared the lead going into the final round of a European Tour event. The first occasion was the 2008 MAPFRE Open de Andalucia by Valle Romano. He was tied with Thomas Levet before losing a play-off to the Frenchman.
• The 266th English victory in European Tour history.
• Becomes the 83rd different Englishman to win on The European Tour.
• The 394th different player to win on The European Tour.
• Gains a two year European Tour exemption until the end of the 2013 season.
• Gains his largest European Tour prize of €250,000.
• His first win as a professional.

The fist pump moment

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Oliver Fisher Czech Open 2011

Oliver Fisher has reasons to laugh. He triumphed for the first time in his professional career despite he wasn’t having a very good year and missed seventeen straight cuts. He shot three birdies on his last five holes at the Czech Open and wasn’t even hindered by a bogey on the island fifteenth hole.

“The successful cut on the sixteenth was decisive. The tournament was very emotional for me, but I enjoyed it as well,” Fisher said and commented on his seventeen straight events without making it to the final rounds. “Golf is a very frustrating game. I just kept telling myself I’m only 22 and have to look at everything in broader context. I should be happy for playing at the tour at all.”

Fisher’s first appearance in the Czech Republic dates back to 2006 when he played as an amateur at the St. Andrews Trophy tournament in Mariánské Lázně. A year later he already joined the European Tour. He was seventeen at that time. Of the big trio McIlroy – Ramsay – Fisher he was the last one without a tournament title. “I feel certain relief but I never bothered myself with that too much,” the pro admitted.

He was awarded the trophy by the Czech president Václav Klaus, who pointed out that the event is a great promotion for the country. “It’s a great honour for me. I was telling myself that golf must be really important for people in your country,” added Fisher, who will finally have a chance to taste Czech beer. “I heard it’s strong.”

The second Mikael Lundberg of Sweden used services of a Czech caddie, Tomáš Ringsmuth, who plays golf in Čeladná under the supervision of the club’s head pro, Brett Brassier. Who would have thought on the third hole that he would be playing for the title? He sent his shot from sand to water and almost broke his club in anger.

Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay had the lowest round of the day with 66 shots, which ensured him the third place.

Englishman Gary Boyd finished on the fourth position, but at one moment he was even in the lead. But he will have to wait for his first title. The biggest success of his career so far came at last year’s Czech Open, where he was a member of a three-way playoff with the later winner Peter Hanson of Sweden and Peter Lawrie of Ireland.

Steven O’Hara from Scotland, who was caddied by the Czech Tomáš Mikyta, shared the fifth position in the end and didn’t achieve his first tournament victory either.

Paul McGinley’s chances were gone on the seventh hole nicknamed the half-pipe, where the experienced Ryder Cup player found the water. Triple bogey was posted by American Anthony Kang on the dreaded twelfth hole, as well as by Spaniard Rafael Cabrera-Bello on the fifth.

Graeme Storm from England even “surpassed” McGinley on the seventh hole and posted a snowman in the hot weather in Čeladná. And a terrible result of 9 shots was recorded on the eighteenth hole by the Scotsman Gary Orr! How many times did he find the water?

The winner received 250 thousand EUR of the total prize money of 1.5 million EUR. Besides the president of the Czech Republic, the final round was attended by more than 5 thousand spectators. The total tournament attendance was almost 13 thousand.

EXEGOLF

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