Ross Fisher's Crowning Moment

Englishman Ross Fisher has been named The Race to Dubai European Tour Golfer of the Month for October following his stunning victory in the Volvo World Match Play Championship at the Finca Cortesin Golf Course in Spain. The 28 year old, who will receive a jeroboam of Moët & Chandon champagne along with an engraved alms dish in recognition of his achievement, beat American Ryder Cup player Anthony Kim 4 and 3 in the 36 hole final at the Caseras venue to move up to fourth in The Race to Dubai and 17th on the Official World Golf Ranking. Ironically, Fisher began the week with a defeat to his fellow countryman Lee Westwood but recovered magnificently, under the new round-robin group format, to dispatch Jeev Milkha Singh and Camilo Villegas in his next two matches to qualify for the semi-finals before accounting for Masters Tournament Champion Angel Cabrera on the 39th green of an epic last four clash. “It is a great thing to win the Golfer of the Month award – I was really thrilled when I was told about it,” said Fisher. “It is the icing on the cake after what was a fantastic win for me in Spain and it is a huge honour and a massive privilege for me to be voted for by the panel. It shows that people do take note when you produce good performances.” The judging panel – which comprised members of the Association of Golf Writers in addition to commentators from television and radio – commended several other players for their performances in October, most notably Sweden’s Michael Jonzon, who began the week of the CASTELLÓ Masters Costa Azahar harbouring fears about keeping his card for 2010, but ended it with a two year exemption after holding off Martin Kaymer and Christian Nilsson to win the tournament. In addition, Englishmen Simon Dyson, Ross McGowan, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood were praised by the panel for their victories in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, the Madrid Masters, the Barclays Singapore Open and the Portugal Masters respectively, as was Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wen-tang who won the Mercuries Taiwan Masters on the Asian Tour. But, in the end, the decision went to Fisher as Peter Dixon of The Times newspaper, and part of the judging panel, explained. “There were many wonderful showings by European Tour Members across October and the decision was not an easy one,” he said. “Michael Jonzon’s performance in particular, winning when he had to in Spain, was particularly impressive. “But it was felt that Ross Fisher’s overall performance throughout the week against top quality opposition saw him merit the award. To have the ability and endurance to beat Masters Champion Angel Cabrera in a classic semi-final before seeing off Anthony Kim, one of America’s biggest successes in last year’s Ryder Cup, in the final, was truly special.” Fisher joins Rory McIlroy (January), Geoff Ogilvy (February), Søren Kjeldsen (March), Angel Cabrera (April), Shane Lowry (May), Nick Dougherty (June), Martin Kaymer (July), Lee Westwood (August) and Rafael Cabrera-Bello (September) as a winner of The 2009 Race to Dubai European Tour Golfer of the Month Award. The Race to Dubai European Tour Golfer of the Year will be selected following the Dubai World Championship at the Earth Course, Jumeirah Golf Estates, from November 19-22, 2009, where the winner of The Race to Dubai will be confirmed.