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Fisher breaks course record to lead at European Open

03/07/2008

Englishman Ross Fisher has broken the course record with a first round nine-under-par 63 at the European Open at the London Golf Club.

The 27-year-old putted an unbelievable six birdies in the last six holes of the round and leads the tournament by two shots from Irishman Graeme McDowell and South African David Frost.

What makes Fisher's even more remarkable is that he had to come through a 36-hole qualifier at Sunningdale on Monday in order to play in the tournament. He admitted he was "too tired" to play a practise round at the course and even considered pulling out.

"I thought I was going to find the course a lot trickier because it was the first time I had seen it," said Fisher, who broke the previous course record of 64 set by Seve Ballesteros in 1994

"I took Tuesday off and was going to come on Wednesday but I just felt too tired from the busy run I had before I qualified for last month's U.S. Open.

"I sort of had a thought about it (pulling out). I was feeling pretty tired, but how do you pull out of an event when you live only 40 minutes away? So I thought, 'let's see how we go'. Have a few days off and if I feel fine I'll play."

Northern Ireland teenager Rory McIlroy is in fourth place after he finished on five-under-par, while defending champion Colin Montgomerie could only muster a round of 70.