Casares:
Ross Fisher won the 36-hole World Match Play Championship final on Sunday with a convincing 4 and 3 victory over Anthony Kim.
Fisher had an eagle at the par-4 22nd hole and birdie at the par-5 23rd to put him 3-up at the Finca Cortesin golf course. Kim won the next hole but then missed putts on the 25th and 26th holes. Kim later missed several hole-winning putts down the stretch.
"Fortunately the putter finally got a little bit hot," said Fisher, who became the fourth Englishman to win the event. "It was slow to get going but when I needed some crucial putts there were some really good putts I holed today."
Fisher, who was sharp around the greens early in the day, never trailed his American opponent as the first 18 holes were played in cool, overcast conditions before the sun came out in the afternoon.
"It was tough. This course is very demanding, not only mentally but physically," said Fisher, whose 126 holes completed included a playoff against Masters champion Angel Cabrera on Saturday. "Fitness was probably a big aspect."
Kim tried to rally on the second 18, putting his drive within 15 feet on the 24th hole and then making the birdie putt, but he couldn't hold it together around the greens, lipping out from about a foot on the 26th.
Trailing by three holes with eight to play, Kim just couldn't get his putter rolling.
"It was an up-and-down battle all day and I never seemed to get anything going. That's what cost me today," Kim said. "I never seemed to make a string of three or four birdies in a row."
Fisher, who won for the first time this season, earned euro750,000 ($1.1 million) for the victory and jumped into the top five in the European Tour money standings.
He called it one of his best rounds as a pro.
"Obviously, it's a huge stepping stone. To win it is huge and it's given me a massive confidence boost," Fisher said. "The only thing missing this year was a win. This kind of is a big cherry."
The 24-year-old Kim, who would have become the youngest-ever winner, improved his chances of playing in the season-ending Dubai World Championship by earning euro450,000 ($666,000) to move into the top 35 in the money list.
"I gave it all I had but unfortunately it wasn't good enough," Kim said. "Of course I'm disappointed but what can you do? He played great."
Robert Allenby beat Cabrera in the 18-hole third-place match. The Australian, who won the 18th hole to force sudden death, sank an 18-foot eagle putt in the playoff to secure the euro250,000 ($368,000) prize. Cabrera won euro200,000 ($296,000).