The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Fisher hooks a historic 59
Eagle and 10 birdies gives Englishman a first in the annals of Euro Tour
England’s Oliver Fisher carded the first 59 in European Tour history on day two of the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura.
Fisher fired an eagle and 10 birdies in a bogey-free round of 12 under par as the magical 60 barrier was finally broken after 46 years and almost 700,000 rounds.
There had previously been 19 rounds of 60 on the European Tour, with Darren Clarke the only man to do so twice and South Africa’s Brandon Stone the most recent in July, when he achieved the feat in the final round of his Scottish Open win.
An opening 71 had left Fisher worrying about missing a third straight cut but the 30-year-old from Essex birdied the first three holes, holed a bunker shot for an eagle on the fifth and also birdied the sixth and eighth to reach the turn in 28.
A hat-trick of birdies from the 10th meant the record was in Fisher’s sights and after another gain on the 15th was followed by a crucial par save on the 16th, the former Walker Cup player birdied the 17 th to leave himself needing a par on the last to make history.
And two years after carding a closing 64 in the same event to keep his European Tour card, Fisher narrowly missed a long birdie attempt before tapping in for par and being drenched in champagne by fellow Englishman Matt Wallace.
Fisher said: “It feels great to make history here in Portugal.
“I was chuffed with the day. When I went out I was at level par and trying to make the cut, and then shooting that – it was just a great day all round.
“I missed a couple of chances on seven and nine, so I could have quite easily been out in nine under. I got on to a run around 10, 11, 12, so then I was thinking 59 was on the cards with 15 and 17 ahead of me.
“The big hole for me was 16. I hit a poor shot into the green and had a tough decision to make whether I chipped it or putted it. I went with the putter and left it a long way short and managed to hole a 20-footer for par.”
When play finished for the day, Fisher’s historic score left him in a tie for the lead on 12 under par alongside Eddie Pepperell and Lucas Herbert, with Matt Wallace a shot behind.
Press and Journal columnist Stephen Gallacher is the leading Scot in Portugal after he moved inside the top-20 with a second round 67 to finish the day seven under.
Stonehaven’s Sam Locke was also thrilled to make the cut on his first start in a regular European Tour event. He is five under after rounds of 68 and 69.
He said: “This is where I have always wanted to be and it is nice to know I can hold my own.”
Aberdeen’s Richie Ramsay failed to make the cut after finishing level par following a 70. World number one Justin Rose and Tiger Woods claimed a share of the halfway lead in the Tour Championship in pursuit of a significant victory in Atlanta.
Rose carded a second round of 67 at East Lake to finish seven under par, a total matched in the following group by 14-time major winner Woods, who added a 68 to his opening 65.
A second win of the season for Rose tomorrow would see the Englishman secure the overall FedEx Cup title and a bonus of £7.6 million, while Woods is seeking a first victory since 2013 to put the seal on his remarkable comeback following spinal fusion surgery in April 2017.
Ellon’s Michele Thomson is tied eighth at the halfway stage of the Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open in Spain.
Thomson is seven under par after rounds of 68 and 67.
Holland’s Anne van Dam holds a four-shot lead after a second successive 64 for a 14-under-par total.
Carly Booth and Catriona Matthew, the Solheim Cup captain, are five under following rounds of 72 and 69 respectively.
Westhill’s Gemma Dryburgh and Nairn’s Kelsey Macdonald missed the cut.
Meanwhile, Aberdeen’s David Law is tied sixth in the Provence Open on the Challenge Tour. The 27-year-old carded a second-round 66 to move to eight under.
England’s Matt Ford is five shots clear on 15 under after a 12-under round of 60.
Glasgow’s Ewen Ferguson is tied third on nine under after a 69. Grantown’s Duncan Stewart and Oban’s Robert MacIntyre failed to make the cut.