Trevor Fisher Jnr claimed the greatest win of his career with a resounding five shot victory on home soil at the Africa Open.
An eight time winner on the Sunshine Tour, the 35 year old’s maiden European Tour title arrived courtesy of a final round eight under par 64 at East London Golf Club.
Fisher Jnr’s success maintained South Africa’s stunning record of providing every winner of this event since its inception in 2010, when he finished in a tie for fourth.
He faced strong competition from Matt Ford, also looking for a first triumph, until he pulled clear by taking full advantage of a bogey from the Englishman on the ninth with birdies either side of the turn.
And there was no looking back for Fisher Jnr on the back nine, where he did not drop a shot all week, as he finished on 24 under.
The South African said: “It is always nerve-racking leading, not to think about the result, but it’s quite hard and I think I did a good job today. I was nervous the last few holes, I think that is natural.
“It was a great day, I played well and everything went well. The putter was amazing, I sank some amazing putts today. It is written in the stars.
“I’ve tried so hard to get that European Tour card, for so many years - obviously it’s a massive step for my career because that’s where all South African golfers want to be.”
Ford carded a fourth consecutive round in the sixties this week, collecting shots on six occasions.
Despite missing out on victory, the 36 year old can take heart from an impressive performance in East London after facing the prospect of working as a postman until advancing through November’s Qualifying School at the tenth attempt.
On his battle with Ford, Fisher Jnr added: “He is a little British bulldog. He sank putts and I thought ‘jeez, I’m not going to get away from this guy’! He made birdie, I made birdie and then when I made birdie, he made birdie. It was quite tough.
“On the ninth hole I made a great birdie and he made a five so that was where it turned. I knew I just had to keep my head up and keep going.”
Ford held his nerve early on, unmoved by two excellent approach shots from Fisher Jnr to match the leader’s gains at the first and third and stay two behind.
The latter gave Ford renewed hope of cutting the lead when he was wayward from the fourth tee, although he recovered superbly to make par after the Englishman was inches away from holing a birdie putt.
But Fisher Jnr’s advantage was halved on the next when he dropped a shot, failing to recover from hitting his drive into the sand.
Ford was not the only player putting pressure on Fisher Jnr as he was joined on 16 under by Jorge Campillo after the surging Spaniard birdied the seventh, his third in succession.
Yet it was back to a two horse race when Fisher Jnr and Ford both gained shots at six and seven and Campillo bogeyed the ninth as the rain started to fall for the first time this week.
Ford’s major error proved to be costly, missing a six foot putt for par ahead of the turn to fall three behind Fisher Jnr, who required only a trio of shots to complete the par four 470 yard ninth.
Fisher Jnr’s lead was four with another gain on the tenth, the hole before saving par with a brilliant 20 foot putt following a wayward drive.
Although Ford gained a shot on the 14th, Fisher Jnr collected three birdies in the final four holes to confirm victory.
Spaniards Campillo and Eduardo de la Riva plus Dane Morten Orum Madsen finished three shots behind Ford on 16 under.
The trio all produced a six under par 66 to finish, Campillo surging into contention early by chipping in out of the rough from distance to eagle the first and collecting shots at the third, fifth, sixth and seventh before falling away.
South African Jaco van Zyl, always in contention at this event, struggled with his putter before improving to sit two shots further back alongside Englishman John Parry.
