Maiden European Tour triumph for Fisher

Trevor Fisher junior claimed his maiden European Tour title Sunday in East London and maintained a South African monopoly of the Africa Open tournament.

"It was a great day for me," said Fisher

EAST LONDON, 8 Mar 2015 (AFP) - The Johannesburg-born and based golfer closed with an eight-under 64 for a 264 total and a five-shot victory in the co-sanctioned European Tour-Sunshine Tour championship.

Englishman Matt Ford, joint first-round pacesetter and sole second-round leader, finished with a 69 for a 269 total and second place.

Spaniards Jorge Campillo (66) and Eduardo de la Riva (66) and Dane Morten Madsen (66) shared third place.

Fisher follows Major-winning compatriots Retief Goosen, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, plus Shane Norris, Darren Fichardt and Thomas Aiken as Africa Open champions.

The 35-year-old started the final round over the par-72, 6,108-metre (6,679-yard) layout in the tranquil Indian Ocean town with a two-shot advantage.

Ford narrowed the gap to a single stroke by the eighth before the tournament took a decisive turn over the following two holes.

Fisher birdied the par-four nine while Ford chipped his third shot past the hole, missed a challenging par putt and a one-shot lead changed to three.

The gap widened to four strokes after the par-three 10th as Fisher holed for a birdie while Ford had to settle for a par.

Calm Fisher, clad in black apart from white shoes, was four shots ahead with eight holes left and never looked like surrendering his vice-like grip.

"It was a great day for me," beamed Fisher. "I played well and everything went well.

"My putter was amazing -- I sank some amazing putts today. It was written in the stars.

“Matt (Ford) was a little British bulldog. He sank putts and I thought ‘I’m not going to get away from this guy’.

"He made birdie, I made birdie. When I made birdie, he made birdie. It was tough.

"On the ninth hole I made a great birdie and he made a five so that was where it turned. I knew I just had to keep my head up and keep going."

Fisher displayed remarkably consistent back-nine form throughout the Africa Open, not dropping a shot over the four rounds.

The fair-haired South African was almost as good on the front nine, bogeying only three times.

Ranked 271 in the world, Fisher turned professional in 2003, has won eight Sunshine Tour titles and his form this year ahead of the Africa Open was two top-32 finishes.

Darren Clarke, recently chosen skipper of Europe for the 2016 Ryder Cup showdown with the United States, ended with a 76 after a nightmare start to his final round.

The Northern Irishman carded a five-over 10 at the first hole followed by a bogey four at the second before steadying to pick up two birdies.

Leading Africa Open final-round scores Sunday at the par-72, 6,108-metre (6,679-yard) East London Golf Club (RSA unless noted):

264 - Trevor Fisher jnr 69-68-63-64

269 - Matt Ford (ENG) 67-66-69-67

272 - Jorge Campillo (ESP) 71-68-67-66, Morten Madsen (DEN) 71-71-64-66, Eduardo de la Riva (ESP) 68-66-72-66

274 - John Parry (ENG) 68-69-69-68, Jaco van Zyl 70-66-68-70

275 - Maximilian Kieffer (GER) 74-63-71-67, Julien Quesne (FRA) 70-72-66-67

276 - Keith Horne 72-68-68-68, Mark Tullo (CHI) 70-67-70-69, Moritz Lampert (GER) 74-66-69-67

277 - Magnus Carlsson (SWE) 74-67-71-65, Mikko Korhonen (FIN) 73-69-66-69, Joakim Lagergren (SWE) 72-67-68-70, Paul Maddy (ENG) 72-67-72-66, Erik van Rooyen 70-66-74-67