CNN Interview with Oliver Fisher

05 February, 13:53, by admin Tags: , , , , , ,
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Whilst there is no tournament for the European Tour this week, Oliver remains in Dubai with coach Chris Jenkins practicing ahead of the Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpar which commences on 12th February.

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”

From plastic putters to pro by oliver Fisher

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

Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates GC Dubai, United Arab Emirates

29 January, 13:58, by admin Tags: , , , , ,
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Day one at the Dubai Desert Classic and it’s Rory McIlroy who is setting the pace as we type this.
The talented Northern Ireland teenager has produced an eight under par 64 to open up a one stroke lead midway through the first round of the delayed Dubai Desert Classic.

The first round has been delayed for nearly three hours due to fog at the Emirates Golf Club, yet the 19 year old carded nine birdies, opening a one stroke lead over Robert Karlsson.

It’s been a good couple of days for McIlroy who was also named as a potential candidate for the Ryder Cup by new captain Colin Montgomerie.

Meanwhile, Oliver Fisher also had a good opening round with six birdies, only to be slightly undone by a double bogey on the par four 9th hole, and a bogey on the 14th.
Ollie finished the day a respectable three under par, currently standing T11 with most players still on the course due to the earlier delays.
Lets hope three more days of six birdies can follow for Ollie at the Emirates Golf Club Dubai, Dubai Desert Classic.

Commercialbank Qatar Masters

21 January, 13:33, by admin Tags: , , , , , ,
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Another top-quality field has assembled this week for another very lucrative event – the Qatar Masters. With the total prize fund at $2.5m, of which the winner bags in excess of $400k; the European Tour remains in the Middle East for the second of three consecutive events.

Adam Scott will attempt to maintain his 100 per cent record in the event and seal a hat-trick of victories when he defends his title at the 12-year-old Doha golf course this week. The course has hosted every Qatar Masters since the tournament began in 1998 and it usually provides a stiff test for the players.

Although the course is not particularly long, it is certainly no push over thanks to the strong prevailing wind that blows here much of the time.

Oliver Fisher tees off 8.05am local time tomorrow – coverage starts 8am on Sky Sports 1

Casey rediscovers winning touch in Abu Dhabi Championship

18 January, 20:10, by admin Tags: , , , ,
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Paul Casey took his first victory in two years with a final round of 70 making a stunning 21-under-par total at the Abu Dhabi Championship.

Starting the final day with a four-stroke advantage over Martin Kaymer, Casey, whose last win came in the same event back in 2007, survived a wobble on the back nine to gain a one-shot success over Kaymer and Louis Oosthuizen.

Englishman Casey began with consecutive birdies and looked in command after picking up further shots at the sixth and eighth to end the front nine in 34.

Yet another birdie followed at the 10th hole to open a six-shot lead but then looked worried as three bogeys in the next four meant he arrived on the 15th tee just one ahead of South African Oosthuizen, who had set the clubhouse target at 20-under-par after achieving a bogey-free round of 64.

Casey, however, parred the final four holes to hold off Oosthuizen and defending champion Kaymer, who eagled the last for a round of 67.

Oliver Fisher fell away from the leaders on the final day, having started T8 he managed to finish the last round with three-over-par. Four bogeys and a birdie meant that Fisher’s start of eleven-under-par on day four was reduced to eight, leaving him T37 overall.

Speaking about Thursday’s desert hailstorm in Dubai, Fisher said:“It was weird, weren’t it? We were all hiding behind the TV stand on hole No 4. It was pretty freaky.”
In the same interview with the Daily Telegraph, Ollie went on to say: “I need to get myself in that world top 50 as soon as I can. But the win’s the main thing. It’s the goal every week for me. I just wanna win.”
Fisher shrugged and said: “You learn from your mistakes. You have to learn to lose before you can learn to win, almost.”

Oliver Fisher Results

Round Scores = 67 – 69 – 79 – 75
Position = T37
Par = -8
Prize Money = €10148

The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship – Abu Dhabi Golf Club

15 January, 22:03, by admin Tags: ,
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The first leg of The European Tour’s exciting  three-week ‘Gulf Swing’ kicks off with World Number Two and Race to Dubai leader Sergio Garcia is joined by current Major Champions Padraig Harrington and Trevor Immelman as the headline acts in a high profile production for the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

Not surprisingly, the lucrative Abu Dhabi Championship has attracted a top-class field with three of the world’s top-10 ranked pros teeing-up – plus a host of other big names including 2007 champion Paul Casey, defending champion Martin Kaymer, eight time European Tour Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie – making the 2009 Abu Dhabi Golf Championship a genuine blockbuster.

The 11-year-old course is flat, exposed and with water hazards coming into play on nine holes. However, it is likely to bring its fair share of birdies, with previous winning scores here being 20, 17 and 15 under par respectively.

Day One update

Swedes Johan Edfors and Mikael Lundberg led the way on six-under-par after a weather-affected first day of golf. Hailstorms meant play was held up for over two hours and as a consequence nearly half the field were unable to complete their first rounds by the time a halt was called to proceedings shortly before nightfall.

End of day 1 leaves Oliver Fisher an impressive T3, one shot behind the lead on five-under-par.

Australian Masters at Huntingdale Golf Club

01 December, 13:50, by admin Tags: , ,
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Sportsbet Australian Masters
Huntingdale Golf Club
Melbourne, Australia

Rod Pampling took the Australian Masters for the first time after beating Marcus Fraser in a play-off at Huntingdale Golf Club in Melbourne.

The two Australians both finished 12-under after Fraser had carded a fabulous final round seven-under-par 65 to take the tournament to its dramatic conclusion.

Eventually Pampling claimed his home Masters for the first time, holing a three-foot par putt after his compatriot had bogeyed the 18th.

Oliver Fisher Results

Round Scores = 72 – 73 – 75 – 69
Position = T48
Par = +1
Prize Money = €2337