Fisher wins in Shanghai

LONDON – Ross Fisher’s stunning seven-shot triumph at the European Open helped the young Briton exorcise the demons of his 72nd-hole blunder at the Champions Tournament in November.

Fisher, vying for the Shanghai title with Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood, found water at the last with victory in his grasp and had to show nerves of steel to hole out from eight feet for a double-bogey seven that set up a three-way playoff. World number two Mickelson then went on to lift the first trophy of the 2007-08 European Tour season after two holes of sudden-death.”To push Mickelson the way I did was a great achievement but I feel it was a tournament I should have won,” the 27-year-old Fisher told reporters after his runaway victory at the London Club on Sunday.”It was bitterly disappointing but some people seem to forget I holed a good eight-footer to get myself in the playoff.After hitting it into the water I managed to show strength of character to still give myself a chance to win.”The big-hitting Englishman said he gained pride from the resilience he showed in Shanghai.”I took a lot from that,” said Fisher after a closing 68 earned a 20-under-par total of 268 and a seven-shot win over Spain’s Sergio Garcia on the outskirts of London.Nampa-ReutersWorld number two Mickelson then went on to lift the first trophy of the 2007-08 European Tour season after two holes of sudden-death.”To push Mickelson the way I did was a great achievement but I feel it was a tournament I should have won,” the 27-year-old Fisher told reporters after his runaway victory at the London Club on Sunday.”It was bitterly disappointing but some people seem to forget I holed a good eight-footer to get myself in the playoff.After hitting it into the water I managed to show strength of character to still give myself a chance to win.”The big-hitting Englishman said he gained pride from the resilience he showed in Shanghai.”I took a lot from that,” said Fisher after a closing 68 earned a 20-under-par total of 268 and a seven-shot win over Spain’s Sergio Garcia on the outskirts of London.Nampa-Reuters