TWO NEW STARS AT FINCA

and if you add Ross Fisher, that makes three. The other two were the new round-robin matchplay format and last but not least, Cabell Robinson,who designed the marvellous Finca Cortesin golf course.

First things first. Fisher displayed unsuspected stamina and nerves of steel to add to his considerable talent in overcoming some of the world’s best golfers while playing the equivalent of seven rounds of golf over four days. By overcoming Cabrera in the semi-final and Kim in the 36-hole final, Fisher prevailed against a twice-major champion and then a proven matchplayer, Kim having been brilliant in the recent Ryder Cup match.
The round-robin format, which obliged all matches to finish on the 18th hole, ensured that interest was maintained even if a match was won long before. The format also provided a novel decider; in the event of there being a tie to win any of the 4 first round groups, ”goal difference” (difference between holes won & lost) decided who should go through to the semi-finals. Apart from being a genuine improvement on traditional matchplay scoring, this format offered a refreshing change from the endless round of 72 hole strokeplay tournaments, where the excitement doesn’t really begin until the final round.

Tags: Finca Cortesin, Ross Fisher