Ross Fisher beat American Anthony Kim 4&3 on Sunday to claim the Volvo World Matchplay Championship at the Finca Cortesin Golf Club.
A birdie on the first hole of the 36-hole final gave the 28 year-old an early lead and he was never behind, eventually securing victory when both players recorded pars on the par-four 33rd.
The victory earned Fisher the €750,000 top prize, which takes him from seventh to fourth in The Race to Dubai European Tour money list.
“I’m absolutely ecstatic,” said Fisher, who moves up to 17 in the world rankings on the back of his triumph. “It’s been a long, gruelling week, but obviously very worthwhile.
“This course was very physically demanding and I don’t think I am the fittest of blokes out here. I know I need to work a lot more in the gym.
“The only thing that’s been missing this year was a win. I feel I’ve been very consistent and to be the leading guy in the majors [in terms of shots taken] shows my golf has been very good.”
Leading by one hole after the morning session, Fisher went three up after winning the 22nd and 23rd holes, first with a 35-foot eagle putt and then a birdie after Kim drove into trouble.
Kim - one of the stars of the United States Ryder Cup victory last year - responded on the 24th to reduce the deficit but Fisher kicked again on the back nine, restoring his three-hole lead when Kim bogeyed the 28th and going four up with four to play thanks to a birdie at the par-four 32nd.
Fisher, who let the lead slip on the final day of the Open, went into the afternoon with a one-hole lead, having missed a chance to extend his advantage by three-putting on the 18th after Kim could only make par.
The Englishman took the lead on four separate occasions but was unable to pull away, with Kim levelling the match on the seventh, ninth and 13th holes before bogeying the 464-yard 16th to hand his opponent the initiative.
“I think this format suits me,” Fisher continued. “I’m quite an aggressive player and sometimes it’s caught me out in the past but the best player in the world [Tiger Woods] is an aggressive player and he hasn’t done too badly.
“That’s where I draw inspiration from - try to be aggressive but smart as well.”
Earlier, Australia’s Robert Allenby defeated Argentina’s Masters champion Angel Cabrera in the 18-hole third-place play-off match.
Allenby, who was defeated by Kim in Saturday’s semi-final, holed in one with a 230-yard five wood on the sixth hole but had to birdie the 18th to send the match to a sudden-death play-off.
The Australian prevailed on the first extra hole after sinking an 18-foot eagle putt off the back of the green, giving him third place and a cheque for €250,000.
Ian Poulter fired a final round one-over 72 to win the Singapore Open by one shot. The Briton finished the $5 million event on 10-under 274 after leading from the first day to the last.
Poulter managed to edge out China’s Liang Wen-chong to complete a nervous wire-to-wire victory.
With former Asian No 1 Liang in the clubhouse at nine under following a final round of 70, Poulter stood on the 18th tee with a one-stroke lead after seeing his five-shot halfway cushion wiped out yesterday.
But the 33 year-old held his nerve to make par and secure a first win since the Dunlop Phoenix in Japan in 2007 and first on the European Tour since Madrid the previous year.
Australia’s Scott Hend came third two behind Poulter along with resurgent compatriot Adam Scott.
Scott only just made the cut but raced up the leaderboard with a third round 65 as he recovered some form after a miserable year of missed cuts.
The former world No 3, who won the tournament in 2005 and 2006, carried his new-found touch into the final round with a 68 for his best result since the Sony Open in January.
World No 2 Phil Mickelson tied for 14th after an inconsistent week marred by too many bogeys. He now heads to the WSG-HSBC Champions in Shanghai to renew his rivalry with Tiger Woods.
Three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington also heads to China after a disappointing weekend in Singapore, where he finished tied 38th to end any realistic hope he had of finishing the year as Europe’s No 1.
November 2009
November 9th, 2009 
