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

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

Fraser leads the way | Golf365 | Golf News
Oliver Fisher (70) lost his card at the end of last season but has posted four consecutive top 10-finishes and the 21-year-old joined Singapore’s Mardan Mamat (70) at six-under-par. Henrik Stenson (70), Johan Edfors (71), …

Kapur, Bhullar tied 34th at Ballantine’s golf
Singapore’s Mardan Mamat held the distinction of being the only player of the day to sign for two eagles on the par-five fourth and 10th to take tied-eighth position with England’s Oliver Fisher on 138. …

Whilst McIlory is enjoying his best season of golf, he might care to spare a thought for Oliver Fisher who was expected to accompany him on a shooting spree through the professional ranks.

Having become the youngest Briton to earn a tour card, Ollie was not so long ago McIlory’s rival for the title of hottest amateur around. Now, suddenly and unexpectedly, Fisher finds himself involved in the fight of his professional life.

Ollie must finish in the top 40 if he is to close the gap on those above him in the Order of Merit, one thing is for certain, if Ollie misses the cut in Hong Kong (as he has in more then half of the tournaments this year) he’ll be out.

Since splitting with Coach Chris Jenkins in February this year, Fisher has sunk further and further into desperation. Ollie has turned to Lee Westwood’s coach, Pete Cowan, for support and now feels that he has turned a corner. Recent results appear to reflect this, having finished top 25 in his last 3 tournaments.

Ollie has positive recollections of Fanling from last year, having finished 11th. If McIlroy thinks the pressure is on at the top – it’s surely more testing being at the bottom.

C’mon Oliie, you can do it.

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Fisher’s four rounds at the Castello Masters ended 68 – 69 – 71 – 66.

Ollie has found himself in improving form during the last three tournaments, having finished T12 in the Portugal Masters the week before, and T23 in the Madrid Masters prior to that.

Thursday sees Ollie enter the Barclays Singapore Open at Sentosa Golf Club, and with him finding his form once more, we’re hopeful for a good result.

26-year-old Huldahl, who held the joint lead overnight, produced a nerveless display on the final day of the competition without dropping a shot on his way to an excellent 67 and an aggregate score of nine under.

Oliver Fisher carded an excellent 67, the 20-year-old birdieing the 9th, 10th & 11th before eagling the 18th to move to five under overall.

Alongside Fisher on five under were Richard Green and Jeev Milkha Singh, who both posted 69s, and Simon Dyson, who shot 70.

With the European Open at the London Golf Club Ollie’s first result since missing the cut on 6 of his last outings, this was a significant achievement for him, providing his first top 10 place for the season. Having split with coach Chris Jenkins earlier this year, it looked like our Ollie’s season was taking a turn for the worse.

The Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open at New Kuta Golf Club in Bali, Indonesia became part of The European Tour International Schedule in 2005 and has a history of low scoring events.

The par 72 course measures at over 7500 yards from the championship tees, overlooking some of the best surfing beauty spots Bali has on offer. The New Kuta Golf Club is the island’s first championship course.

Ollie’s opening round ended in one-under-par having carded birdies on the 5th, 7th, 10th & 16th holes, and bogeyed the 1st, 8th & 17th.
Elsewhere on the golf course, Angelo Que of the Philippines took a four-stroke clubhouse lead at the end of a weather-affected first day – play is currently suspended as we report this.
Que took just 20 putts to card an eight-under-par 64 which has left him on top before the suspended play.

This week the European Tour travels to Australia for the second time already this season.

The Johnnie Walker Classic returns to The Vines Resort in Perth, which last hosted the event three years ago when American Kevin Stadler took the winner’s title.
This week’s tournament will be the eighth time that it has arrived in this Perth, Western Australia.

Over the past 19 years, the Johnnie Walker Classic has been played in eight different countries and 13 different golf clubs around Australasia, including China back in 2005 and in India for the first time in 2007, reflecting the brand’s “Keep Walking” philosophy of continuous progress.

Since its inception in 1992, former winners of the event have produced a total 183 European Tour wins and 28 Major Championships between them – an impressive record in anyone’s language.

While the fairways at the Vines are average in width, accuracy from the tee is paramount because the surrounding scrubland provides plenty of unplayable lies.

Anthony Kim

Day one of Maybank Malaysian Open and the the worldwide appeal brought to The European Tour International Schedule by The Race to Dubai is proved with a truly international field gathering at the Saujana Golf and Country Club.

After a week’s break following the three week ‘Gulf Swing’, players from all five continents have travelled to Kuala Lumpur to compete not only for the US$2 million prize fund, but also for further advancement in both The Race to Dubai standings and the Official World Golf Ranking.

Current world number 11 American Anthony Kim is headling the event, in the aftermath of his successful debut in the Ryder Cup in Kentucky last September. His presence in Malaysia will make a real difference because every golfer wants to compete against the best

Another good opening day for Oliver Fisher in Kuala Lumpar, managing a three under par first round. Ollie carded two-under from the front nine holes with birdies on both the 3rd and 4th, then three further birdies on the back nine leaving his score slightly reduced by bogeys on the 14th and 18th.

As we write, Ollie is T14 on day one, with Korean Noh Seung-Yul leading on an impressive ten-under-par having achieved nine birdies, an eagle and a single bogey.

CNN have interviewed Oliver for their “Living Golf” show (see below for times)

Says CNN “20-year-old Oliver Fisher has been regarded as a hot prospect in the golfing community ever since Nick Faldo nurtured him in his early teenage years. Now a professional on the European Tour, Fisher is considered to be one of Europe’s top hopes for the future”

Oliver Fisher's early days

Chatting with Ollie’s father, Rupert; “From the time he was two or three and started picking up plastic golf clubs he always had a very natural golf swing, so it was very easy to develop from that stage with proper coaching,” he told CNN.

It’s true that Ollie’s parents have showed tremendous support for his golf career, Rupert even spent the first season on tour with young Oliver as his caddie.
It was Rupert who introduced Oliver to the sport at a very young age, swinging a club for the first time aged just two, and joining his local golf club at the age of eight, within 12 months of that he met Chris Jenkins who remains his coach to this day.

“Guys of Ollie’s age have learnt so much from the Tiger era,” Rupert Fisher continued. “When you look at players like Tiger, he is the ultimate role model and you can only try to do what they do.”
Making the leap from amateur to pro can be a difficult step. As Rupert put it, “natural talent just won’t get you there.”

“It’s totally different from an amateur, because the season as a professional is a lot longer,” Oliver said. “I definitely work as hard as a pro as I did when I was an amateur, just for the fact that I’ve got more time to work at. It is better though, and I like it.”

Since gaining the winning score in Andulucia almost a year ago, and missing out in a playoff with Thomas Levet, the win still eludes Oliver.
Levet told reporters following the playoff: “He’s one of the best guys I’ve played with, including Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo.” Sky Sports golf expert Tim Barter said: “He is a young man who has got the whole package… and he will win golf tournaments.” Fisher’s coach Chris Jenkins told Sky Sports News: “I really do believe he can compete with Tiger and become world number one.”

“If I keep improving on the way I am hopefully I can be in the top 50 in the world and competing for Majors and winning tournaments in the next year or so.” said Oliver.

Watch CNN’s Living Golf in February :
ALL TIMES GMT
Thursday, February 5: 1400, 1830
Saturday, February 7: 0800, 1830
Sunday, February 8: 0400, 0830, 1430