Kim to face Fisher for World title
Anthony Kim crushed Robert Allenby 5 and 4 in a “grudge” match to clinch a Volvo World Match Play final showdown with England’s Ross Fisher.
Anthony KimDebutants in the revamped championship, both men will be looking for their first wins for 16 months at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol.
Fisher had to go to the third extra hole to beat Masters champion Angel Cabrera in a thrilling match he should have closed out at the 36th.
One up playing the 568-yard 18th, the 28-year-old paid the price for laying up as Cabrera hit the green in two from the rough and birdied to force extra holes.
They were still inseparable after two more visits to the 18th but at the third time of asking, Fisher hit a glorious second to 10 feet and Cabrera took four to find the green after overshooting from greenside sand and conceded.
Kim was simply sublime as he consigned Allenby to his second matchplay defeat just three weeks after their much publicised spat at the Presidents Cup in San Francisco.
The American beat Allenby 5 and 3 that day and Australian reacted controversially by dubbing him the “new John Daly” and “the loosest cannon on that team” amid accusations of late-night drinking.
The 24-year old US Ryder Cup star denied that their clash was a neddle match, insisting: “I didn’t feel any tension. Golf is an intense sport.”
But their contest looked anything but friendly as Kim conceded few short putts as they went to lunch all square after a close fought first 18 holes.
Their frosty confrontation certainly warmed up after lunch but it was the American who produced the red-hot golf.
Level exchanging four of the first five holes in the afternoon, Kim reeled off four twos in the space of seven holes to race into what proved to be an unassailable five up lead just six holes to play.
After losing the 23rd to a bridie two, Allenby made life easy for Kim by duffing two chips to hand his opponent a win at the 25th and an likely half at the 26th.
The killer blow came at the 252-yard 27th, where Kim holed a sand wedge from 101 yards for a spectacular eagle two that put him three up with nine holes to play.
He then had birdie twos at the par three 28th and 30th holes to go five holes in front and closed out the match two holes later.
Fisher was three down to Cabrera after 13 holes of the morning round but hit back to go to lunch all square before eventually closing out a roller-coaster encounter at the 39th.
Fisher said: "I'm very relieved to get it done. I always knew it was going to be difficult to beat the Masters champion. I fought back really well in the morning and then hung in.
“Obviously AK is playing very, very well. He's won a few times and played Ryder Cup so it’s going to be difficult.”