Ross Fisher’s European Open victory was one of the performances of the year, an outstanding example of front running golf that surely sets up the Englishman for many more glorious Sunday afternoons.

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Fisher is a likeable, unassuming man who, if he so desired, would have plenty to shout about. He hits the ball miles and has developed an effective short game through a great deal of hard work under the expert eye of the new guru Mark Roe.

More significantly, the 27 year old has proven himself capable of holding his nerve when living on a high calibre leaderboard. You can’t win wire to wire, as he did, without that quality.

This shows he has learned from the experience of dissolving when he had the chance of winning last year’s BMW Championship at his home course, Wentworth, and when he blew the chance of beating Phil Mickleson at the HSBC Champions event in Shanghai.

Then his clumsy short game was exposed as he pitched into the water with victory beckoning. It was a devastating defeat but Fisher’s determination ensured the experience would only make him stronger.

It enabled him to withstand the strong winds and torrential rain that might have blown him off course in the final round at the London Club.

Naturally things have to be going for you and early slip ups from his closest and realistically only rival Graeme McDowell also helped settle any nerves.

So did the outrageous eagle putt he holed from the edge of the fifth green. But ultimately he could reflect on a scorecard that showed just one dropped shot (at the second) and an inward half of 33 to make sure it was four rounds in the 60s for his weeks work.

Fisher is the product of the Wentworth scholarship scheme. Golf gets plenty of stick for being elitist and the Virginia Water club is as exclusive as they come.

But full credit should go to Wentworth for spotting the potential of this young man, who readily admits that his background is rather more humble than that of the average member there.

So in his junior days the lad from Ascot was able to benefit from some of the best practice facilities and teaching available.

"Without my Wentworth scholarship I wouldn't be here now," Fisher said after his victory.

Nick Faldo might be another beneficiary. Fisher is now just one place outside an automatic spot in his European Ryder Cup team for this September.

His prodigious driving would be an undoubted four-ball asset at Valhalla, as would his increasingly impressive temperament in pressure situations.

This was his second European Tour win after victory at last year’s Dutch Open, a win that hung in the balance while TV footage was examined to see whether he had inadvertently breached the rules.

Fortunately it was deemed that he hadn’t. First wins are crucial but second ones are often even harder to achieve.
In this one he beat a field of far higher quality.

Many more should follow.