The Italian Open saw yet another player record their maiden victory in South African Hennie Otto. Otto’s score of 25 under par at the Castello di Tolcinasco GC in Milan was only 1 shot less than the 73 year old tournament record but the low scoring was not just restricted to the winner as runner-up Oliver Wilson was only one shot back and third placed Robert Karlsson just a further shot back.

Otto’s 69 on Sunday was his highest score of the week, indicating how well he played but also how the pressure took its toll down the finishing stretch. Otto’s lead of 4 strokes going into the final round was slowly whittled down by Fisher’s determination, including 4 birdies in a row on the back nine.

Fisher’s 64 meant that Otto required a par at the last for victory. A bad shot left him in a horrendous position with the ball balanced at the lip of a bunker. With one foot in the bunker he played a stunning recovery to 6 feet and the victory.

It was Wilson’s sixth time as runner up and he might well ponder how things might have been different had he not damaged his putter on the second day, forcing him to use a wedge on the greens. Karlsson set a new tournament round with a 61in the second round but could not quite keep up that level of performance.

Fans of John Daly will have been pleasantly surprised by his 23rd place here but it was no less than justified by some excellent play.