England's Ross Fisher outplayed Anthony Kim of the USA to win the Volvo World Match Play Championship at Finca Cortesin GC in Spain. Picking up a cheque for €750,000 Fisher climbed to fourth in the Race to Dubai.
After playing an amazing 126 holes in just four days, Fisher saw of Kim by 4&3 in the 36-hole final to take the title and climb to a career high of 17th on the Official World Golf Ranking.
"I'm absolutely ecstatic," he said. "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."
Fisher came through a tough group that included Lee Westwood and Camilo Villegas, to face Masters champion Angel Cabrera in the semi-final. That match went the full distance and Fisher needed three extra holes to see of the Argentinian. The final was a more straightforward encounter and Fisher was never behind in the match.
"I think this format suits me," he said. "I'm quite an aggressive player and sometimes it's caught me out in the past but the best golfer in the world is an aggressive player and he hasn't done too badly."
Fisher took a one-up lead into lunch but turned the screw on the 4th and 5th holes of round two. The 28-year-old drove the par-4 4th and holed the putt for eagle, he then two-putted the par-5 5th for a birdie that took him three holes ahead.
Kim fought on bravely but was unable to get back into the match.
"Ross played great," said Kim. "I obviously made a couple of mistakes though, and I never seemed to get anything going. I never seemed to make a string of three or four birdies in a row, and that's what cost me today. I gave it all I had, but unfortunately it wasn't good enough. Of course I'm disappointed but what can you do - he played great."
Robert Allenby won the play-off for third place - The Australian beat Cabrera at the first extra hole making an 18-foot putt for eagle.
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