Fisher looks to hook big prize
Little-known English golfer Ross Fisher will look to maintain his impressive start to the South African Airways Open after a first round to remember.
The 25-year-old Wentworth member equalled the course record on the Fancourt links and outscored Ernie Els by eight shots. He resumes today in a share of the lead with defending champion Tim Clark.
Both Fisher and South African Clark carded five-under-par rounds of 68 on the difficult course, which is again unlikely to give up many low scores on day two.
Clark is making a mark on the European Tour for the first time at the start of what is officially the 2006 season, and he finished fourth at last month’s Volvo China Open. This week’s event offers a top prize of £108,000 (€159,000).
But he is not setting targets and, with an eye to today’s round, said: “I’ve got no game plan and I’m going to take each hole as it comes.
“The fairways are wide and suit the big drivers like myself. But if the wind kicks in then the course will bite back hard.”
Fisher finished 18th on the 2005 Challenge Tour last season to secure his playing privileges for 2006, and then finished 14th at the European Tour qualifying school to improve his category listing.
Clark is significantly more experienced, and has two past victories in this tournament to his name, plus last season’s Scottish Open title.
He is vowing to play a sensible game today and over the weekend, with his 30th birthday falling on Saturday.
“If you hit the ball in the wrong spot then you could make any number,” he said. “I certainly was not going out there and attacking the golf course and I think it’ll be like that throughout the week.
“I think 68 was a great score – it is probably as good as I could have done.
“It’s a tough course though because even the holes you think might be birdie opportunities will present some bunkers that could easily catch your tee shot. Every hole presents its own challenges.”
Golfing legend Gary Player has already predicted nobody will break 68 on the course, and for South African-born Englishman Justin Rose that rang true.
Rose, 25, carded a one-over-par 74 yesterday which put him in a share of 25th out of a 155-man field.
“It’s difficult to say whether it’s hard or not. But it’s definitely visually intimidating. Hit a loose shot here and you’ll put something big down on your card for sure,” said Rose.
“Anything close to par is a good score on day one.”
Els won the Dunhill Championship last weekend, his first tournament victory since undergoing knee surgery which ended his 2005 season in July, but he, like Rose, found Fancourt a challenge, with a 76 putting the world number five in a tie for 52nd.
