Oliver Fisher, history maker. The 30-year-old Londoner, who took to the course at the Portugal Masters on Friday with the simple aim of making the cut, instead marched where no player has gone before. Fisher’s 59 was the first sub-60 round in European Tour history.
Fisher needed to two-putt from 40ft at the 18th to secure the magic number. He almost went one better, with his birdie attempt shaving the hole. Fisher, who was tipped for greatness when an amateur and retains a close friendship with Rory McIlroy, has etched his name into golfing folklore. Portugal has been kind to Fisher; at the same tournament in 2016, he produced a 64 to retain European Tour status.
“I was just trying to make it into the weekend,” admitted Fisher, who had carded 71 on Thursday. “I started off the round great with three straight birdies, holed a bunker shot on the 5th to go five under through five, and then kept it going. It [scoring 59] was in the back of my mind all day, I knew it was on the cards. I’m just pleased that I two-putted there from 40-foot on the last.
“It was a great day, my caddie was great, it was very different to a couple of years ago on this green fighting to keep my card. I had that in the back of my mind, thinking ‘do you know what? Things could be worse’. It was fun, I tried to enjoy it and thankfully I got over the line.”
Fisher’s round included 10 birdies and an eagle at a venue with a par of 71. Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood, who are competing in the PGA Tour’s Tour Championship, were amongst those to offer instant congratulations to Fisher. Thomas Bjørn, Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, also expressed his “pride” in Fisher’s performance.
The European Tour, in existence since 1972, had witnessed 19 scores of 60. 59 - and even 58 - had been delivered on the PGA Tour but never on the opposite side of the Atlantic before Fisher’s heroics.
“I’m so proud of the way I handled myself down the stretch,” Fisher added. “My dad is here as well as my fiancée and that makes it even more special. It’s a great moment for myself and for the European Tour. The big moment was at 16, I holed from 20ft for par there. Then it was just about hitting a couple of good drives on 17 and 18, which I did, and enjoying it.”
