EUROPEAN

• Fisher bests Kim at World Match Play

  
  

  Casares, Spain (Sports Network) - Ross Fisher took down Anthony Kim 4 & 3 in Sunday's 36-hole final of the Volvo World Match Play Championship.

  Fisher, who never trailed in the final match, won for the third time on the European Tour.

  "I am absolutely ecstatic," Fisher exclaimed.

  "It has been a long, grueling week, but it's obviously been worthwhile. I could have gone out on Friday, but fortunately Camilo Villegas and Lee Westwood managed to halve, so I got through." Kim carded 11 birdies and four bogeys in the final match. Despite the loss, he did post his best-ever finish on the European Tour.

  Fisher got off to a quick start with a four-foot birdie putt on the first to take a 1-up lead.

  The duo carded matching birdies on the third and fourth holes.

  At the par-four seventh, Kim rolled in a three-footer for birdie to square the match. They traded the next three holes at Finca Cortesin Golf Club.

  Fisher claimed the eighth with a two-putt birdie before Kim sank a four-foot birdie effort on nine to again square the match.

  However, Kim tripped to a bogey on the 10th but managed to sink a 10-footer for birdie on 13 to even the match for the final time.

  The Englishman grabbed a 1-up lead when Kim tripped to a bogey on the par- four 16th. Kim could have squared the match on the 18th, but he three-putted for par and was 1-down heading to the afternoon 18.

  "I was just happy to get the lead at lunch," Fisher said. "I was just really positive in the afternoon. I just kept doing what I was doing." Fisher and Kim birdied the 21st before Fisher grabbed hold of the match. The 28-year-old ran home a 35-footer for eagle on the 22nd hole and came right back with a birdie on the 23rd to push his lead to 3-up.

  Kim, who went 3-1 at the Presidents Cup earlier this year, cut his deficit to 2-down with a 15-foot birdie putt on the 24th; however, he not get any closer.

  Both players bogeyed the 25th and matched birdies on the 27th. Fisher sank an 18-footer to force Kim to make his five-footer, which he did.

  On the 28th, Kim missed the green on the par-three and that led to a bogey, which dropped him to 3-down. Fisher converted an eight-footer for birdie on the 29th hole, but Kim matched him by sinking a five-footer.

  After a pair of halves, Kim missed the green on the 32nd hole. He pitched to 12 feet but made that putt for par.

  Fisher had four feet for his birdie and made the putt to extend his lead to 4-up.

  Fisher closed out the match on the 33rd. His approach stopped on the fringe just off the left edge of the green, and he played his third to five feet.

  After Kim missed a long birdie effort, Fisher sank his putt for par to win the match.

  "My caddie did a great job with his words of encouragement," Fisher said. "Fortunately the putter got a little bit hot too. I am thrilled." In a stellar consolation match, Robert Allenby birdied the 18th hole to push the match to extra holes. The Australian, who also had a hole-in-one on the par-three sixth, then eagled the first extra hole to defeat Masters champion Angel Cabrera, 1-up.

  11/01 12:02:48 ET