FanHouse Ross Fisher

CASARES, Spain (AP) -- Ross Fisher beat Anthony Kim 4 and 3 on Sunday to win the 36-hole World Match Play Championship final.

Fisher eagled the 22nd hole and birdied the next to take a 3-up lead at the Finca Cortesin golf course. Kim won the next hole before missing short putts at the next two, then squandering several chances to win holes 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 never trailed his American opponent as the first 18 holes were played in cool, overcast conditions. The sun finally came out in the afternoon.

So much for Robert Allenby taking advantage of a rested Anthony Kim. Playing for the first time since the Presidents Cup -- where Allenby bashed Kim for partying too much and being a loose cannon and compared him to John Daly, even though the American smoked the Australian in the singles matches -- Kim again took Allenby down in Spain.

This time, it was at the Volvo Match Play Championships, and Kim won 5 and 4 on Saturday in the 36-hole semifinals match, giving Kim ownership over Allenby in both matches this season.

How did Kim take down Allenby? Well, just as you'd expect from the confident American.

It seems almost like clockwork, that at some point during your week you'll find out that Colin Montgomerie is not happy about something. Maybe it's Sandy Lyle, saying he cheated. It could be a trigger-happy photographer that didn't know of Mrs. Doubtfire's wrath. Or it simply could be a painter that refuses to brush Monty on a canvas because of his man boobs.

What is certain is he does tend to toss shoes around a lot, and his recent Nike discharge flew directly at England's own Ian Poulter, who after missing out on the Tour Championship, decided that he wouldn't be accepting an invitation to the Vivendi Trophy match in Paris (previously called the Seve Cup), and that rubbed the 2010 Ryder Cup captain the wrong way.

Englishman Ross Fisher has a lot on his mind this morning. His wife is expecting their first child back in Surrey, England, and Fisher has vowed that as soon as she goes into labor, he's walking oft the course to be by her side. In the meantime, he began the final round at the British Open in second place, one shot behind 59-year-old Tom Watson, a five-time Open Champion.

Watson has been the story of the week, even with Tiger Woods missing the cut. As players half his age succumb to the course and the elements, Watson trudges along, improbable birdie putt and improbable birdie putt. But three holes into his final round, Watson suddenly looks his age. He bogeyed the par-4, 1st after his second shot found the sand, and carded another five on No. 3.

UPDATE (10:25 AM ET): So much for that. After bogeying No. 3, Fisher scribbled a snowman on his scorecard at the par-5, 4th hole. He's now even par for the week, good for 7th place. And Watson, at 2-under, is back atop the leaderboard with Chris Wood. For the time being, anyway.

He's 59. Fifty-nine. He isn't supposed to be leading the British Open. Hell, Tom Watson isn't supposed to be contending in the SENIOR British Open at this point, but there he is, at 4-under par with 18 holes left to have his name engraved for the sixth time on the famed Claret Jug.

He's the John McCain of this championship, hoping that for a second, golf will forget the number of years he's been around and just focus on his incredible ball-striking and wonderful lag putting that has him above guys half his age. On Saturday at Turnberry, Watson shot a 1-over 71 in windy conditions to keep himself above the pack at this very different Open Championship.

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Tiger Woods didn't fire off his best round Monday at the 2009 US Open, but he didn't shoot poorly either, wrapping up with a 69 that left him at even par for the tournament. Unfortunately for Tiger, a three-bogey/four-birdie round probably won't be enough to land him in any potential playoff for consecutive Open titles.

That's not to say that the leaders aren't falling back -- Phil Mickelson, David Duval, Ross Fisher and Lucas Glover aren't up a substantial margin on Tiger, but at this point, it seems pretty unlikely that Woods will have a shot at any playoff that takes place.

Admit it ... as a golf fan that has watched a few U.S. Opens, you don't think Ricky Barnes can win this thing. You know you're thinking it. I'm thinking it. Others in the field are thinking it. The only problem with that theory is the one guy that needs to think that doesn't seem to have that thought in his head at all.

The 28-year-old Barnes, who lives in Scottsdale and has never won a professional tournament and has made exactly two cuts ever in majors, played the third round of the U.S. Open like he was out at Arizona National, hacking it around with fellow Wildcat Chris Nallen. Sure, he made some bad swings tossed in the round, but it's Bethpage Black and you're not supposed to find all those tight fairways. Barnes, currently 8-under with a one shot lead over Lucas Glover, shot an even par round of 70 in the third round, something that, if matched in the final round, will all but seal up his first-ever win.

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The 2009 Masters are underway, and unlike last year, when Arnold Palmer hit the ceremonial first shot into a cloud of fog, it has been an incredible day, weather-wise, from the start.

Palmer's first shot this year found the middle of the fairway and the first group built on that momentum. In the second group of the day was Par-3 Tournament winner Tim Clark, who, in typical form, bogeyed his first two par-3s before getting it together and reeling off four birdies on his closing 12 holes before posting a 4-under 68, leading the tournament in the clubhouse.

Right behind Clark are Ross Fisher, Kevin Sutherland, and Prayad Marksaeng who all posted 3-under 69s and will enjoy the rest of the mid-70 degree day fine-tuning their game while other golfers try to put the finishing touches on some rather salty (read: "good") rounds.

It might not have been Tiger Woods against Phil Mickelson. Heck, it isn't even Ernie Els playing Vijay Singh, but the two professional golfers playing the best right now will face up against each other Sunday exactly 125 miles away from their home course.

Australian Geoff Ogilvy, who won this tournament in 2006 and was runner-up in '07, will take on Englishman Paul Casey in a 36 hole final to see who can claim title of Best Golfer During Tiger Week.

As the wind continues to sweep around the links of Royal Birkdale, the scores balloon and the leaders are bringing more and more names into the equation.

Chris Wood? Simon Wakefield? Ross Fisher? Really?

Greg Norman, the leader heading into Sunday, has struggled while Padraig Harrington has kept it steady through seven holes and is currently leading the Open Championship.

Sitting around wondering who is going to win this thing? Confused why the ABC is playing Dropkick Murphys during transitional graphics? Contemplating with yourself about how much Wood weighs? Swing by the live blog, currently in third gear, and drop us a comment.

It's Sunday morning in Scotland and the Claret Jug is completely up for grabs.