Enlarge imageBy Norman Dabell
CASARES, Spain (Reuters) - Ross Fisher won the battle of the World Matchplay Championship debutants when the Briton eased to a 4 & 3 victory over American Anthony Kim.
One up after the morning session, Fisher's putting prowess proved too good for an erratic Kim, who began the day as favourite but never reached the sort of heights he did when helping the U.S. overcome Europe in last year's Ryder Cup.
"The putting hasn't been as good as it could have been recently, but finally it got hot," Fisher told reporters. "When I needed to this afternoon I made some crucial putts.
"Anthony's a gritty competitor, one of the grittiest, so I knew I could never relax. I told myself to play like you're one down and keep fighting all the way.
Advertisement starts
Advertisement ends
"This has given me a massive confidence boost. I've done well in the majors this year and this has given me a great chance for the Race to Dubai," added the 28-year-old who moves up to fourth on the list.
When Fisher rolled a 35-foot eagle putt for two on the par-four fourth the Englishman doubled his lead. Kim's wayward drive behind rocks on the fifth took Fisher three ahead.
Kim immediately got a hole back with a 15-footer on the sixth but then nerves then took hold of the players.
Both missed putts inside two feet on the seventh. Fisher fluffed a chip on the next hole but Kim let him off the hook by three-putting.
Kim, 24, had hoped to become the youngest winner tournament but his chances started to disappear when he stubbed a chip to lose the short 10th and go three down again.
They went altogether when he missed the 14th green to slide four down to Fisher's birdie putt of less than four feet and pars apiece on the 15th ended the contest.
"I never seemed to make a string of three or four birdies in a row and that's what cost me today," a disappointed Kim told reporters.
"I gave it all I had but unfortunately it wasn't good enough."
Fisher added the prestigious title to his two European Tour victories.
He picked up the 750,000 euro first prize after finishing fourth in this year's Accenture World Golf Championship, another elite matchplay tournament, as well as taking fifth place in the U.S. Open, and runner-up in Europe's flagship event, the PGA Championship.
(Editing by Alison Wildey)
