Golf: Modest Fisher Stands Tall in Final Head-to-head With the World No1

Tiger Woods left the Emirates course last night blissfully unaware he had just spent his day in the company of a man who had once picked up his golf balls. "No, I didn't tell him," confessed a blushing Ross Fisher, formerly a £5-an-hour range assistant at Wentworth but now a fully paid-up member of the group of young players looking to make their mark in Europe.

Fisher's fifth-place finish at the Dubai Desert Classic was hardly the fulfilment of his boyhood ambitions but it was nevertheless a hugely significant step in his career, not least because he produced a calm, accomplished performance playing alongside Woods in the final round of a big tournament. In the end, Woods beat him by two shots - 69 to 71 - but not before the 26-year-old Englishman had confounded all expectations by standing up to the world No1 before finally being overtaken with three holes to go.

Even Woods was impressed. "Ross played well, and he handled himself well too. He hit a lot of wonderful shots until the 16th and 17th holes got him," he said. Woods was even kinder out on the course - laughing and joking, according to Fisher, although it was noticeable when it came down to the crux that Woods wore the 100-yard stare familiar to all his opponents.

"Believe it or not I felt a lot less nervous than I thought I was going to be," Fisher said. "Tiger was just a perfect gentleman. We had a number of chats and a couple of laughs. It was a complete honour and privilege to see him up close in person."

As for himself, Fisher was eventually tempted out of his shell of modesty. "I know now that I can compete with the best players and the best player, the world No1."

One weekend does not mean too much in golf but it is tempting to think the tides are shifting in the European game. The praetorian guard of a golden Ryder Cup era are not yet over the hill but they had better be at their best to hold back the likes of Justin Rose, Nick Dougherty, Johan Edfors and now, if this tournament portents anything, Ross Fisher too.