By Kent Gray
In golf’s new bomb and gouge era, 40 is not exactly old but it sure can feel like it.

Just ask five-time European Tour winner Ross Fisher who is trying his best to prove there is still room at the elite level for the old school guy. The Englishman is by no means short off the tee but is better known for cleverly plotting his way to a score rather the modern rip, wedge and putt method.

That was the case Wednesday as the Englishman opened the inaugural Golf in Dubai Championship at JGE with a bogey-free 63 to ease into a share of second place alongside countryman Matt Wallace and Frenchman Antoine Rozner.

The trio start Thursday’s second round two strokes adrift of Andy Sullivan. Fisher, who entered his fourth decade on November 22, just hopes he can keep the momentum going after a tough 2020 which has seen him miss eight cuts in 17 starts, seven of them since the resumption of the Race to Dubai after the COVID lockdown.

“I feel like it’s been there, but I just haven’t been able to find it for some reason,” Fisher said after negotiating Fire’s homeward nine in just 29 strokes including an eagle three at the 13th and two-putt birdie on 18.

“I feel like I’ve hit the ball really well for a long time, worked hard at short game, worked hard at putting and it just, for some reason, hasn’t clicked for four rounds. I’ve had the odd round here and there, but it’s not through the want of trying.”

After missing the cut at both of the Aphrodite Hills Cypress Open and separate Showdown events last month, Fisher is 57th in the Race to Dubai standings and needs to finish to the top-60 to qualify for next week’s DP World Tour Championship.

“I was disappointed after Cyprus, I felt like I played really well and to miss out on both weeks was really disappointing. I had three weeks off to reflect and then came here with the bit between my teeth knowing I needed a solid performance here to consolidate and get into next week. To go out there and produce that today, I’m obviously delighted.”

Fisher is off 7.20am today and knows he’ll have to remain aggressive, especially on a course that is short and wide by elite standards. The greens are also rolling beautifully and without any firmness, they’re proving easy pickings;  no fewer than 73 of the 107 starters dipped under par on Wednesday.

“For me, growing up, we were told to keep the ball in play and play the game whereas you look at the way golf has gone now, I think if you ask coaches now what advice they’ve give to juniors and young golfers, is just ‘tee it up, smash it, and go find it’ because that’s the way golf is going,” said Fisher who last won at the 2014 Tshwane Open.

“You look at so many guys out here now who are coming out, they’re bombing it miles. At 40, I’m not getting any younger but I’m working hard in the gym, trying different things, and I was testing a long driver just to see what the differences are and it’s amazing.

“I would say that would be my one bit of advice. Everyone talks about how important the short game and putting is and don’t get my wrong, me and Matt Wallace and my caddie were talking about it last night and it’s obviously very important but if you can’t get it off the tee, you’re not going to be able to compete for a long period of time so it’s about working on those aspects, I would say.”