Positive Fisher all fired up

Ross Fisher's win in the European Open last July received nothing like the same coverage as the Wimbledon final on the same day.

But it was still an ace performance and Fisher, runner-up to Paul Casey at Wentworth on Sunday after a brilliant closing 64, returns to the London Club in Kent this week looking to serve up another stunner.

The 28-year-old from Surrey had actually been to the tennis on the Tuesday - it was his wife's birthday - and had thought about taking the rest of the week off.

But what a great decision it was to get back to work.

Without a practice round on a venue new to the European Tour, Fisher opened with a course-record 63, finished by holing a bunker shot and took the trophy by seven from Sergio Garcia.

He has not won again in the 10 months since, but has moved up to 22 in the world, lost a play-off at St Andrews, reached the semi-finals of the World Match Play in Arizona and his superb bid to snatch the Tour's flagship title away from Casey at the weekend fills him with confidence.

"I couldn't really give it any more than I did. I played some great golf," he said.

"Obviously to come up one shy is disappointing, but it was a great week for myself.

"It was probably one of the best rounds I've ever shot. It wasn't meant to be, but I'll take a lot of positives from it."

Garcia, relegated to fourth in the world by Casey's victory on Sunday, did not play at Wentworth for the ninth straight year, but is in this week's field again.

And the tournament also sees the professional debut of 22-year-old Shane Lowry, whose last act as an amateur was his sensational Irish Open triumph two weeks ago.

He could not accept the winner's cheque of nearly £440,000 at County Louth, but the two-year Tour exemption was the most valuable prize.

Last season Fisher took home £400,000, but times are hard even in the lucrative world of professional sport and that total is down to £300,000 this week.