Ross Fisher expects tough test to retain Tshwane Open title

Ross Fisher faces a completely different challenge as he looks to successfully defend a European Tour title for the first time in his career in this week's Tshwane Open.

Fisher ended a four-year victory drought with a three-shot win over Michael Hoey at The Els Club last year, but admits the tournament's new venue at Pretoria Country Club doesn’t suit his natural game.

The big-hitter enjoyed last year's course at Copperleaf, the longest in European Tour history at nearly 8,000 yards, but this week's tournament is being played on a much shorter par-70 where two of the par fives have been reduced to par fours. 

“It is very different to where I won last year," Fisher said. "It’s a lot shorter and a lot more fiddly, with a lot of positional play off the tee, a lot of irons and not many drivers.

“It’s going to be different this week. Your wedges will have to be sharp and you’re going to have to get a hot putter, because I can imagine the scoring will be pretty good with some quality players here this week.

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“We don’t generally play these types of golf courses. It’s very different and I would prefer to be on a long golf course that’s quite tight, because driving is my strength."

The course was redesigned in 2004 by Gary Player, who calls it a 'hidden gem', with last year's Joburg Open champion George Coetzee a club member. 

"I didn't build my game at this golf course," the World No 87 said. "I putted well to shoot good scores here, but it's a drawer's golf course. There is a lot of risk and reward and on a lot of holes you can take it on.

"There are some advantages to knowing the course as well as I do, but it suits a certain type of golfer. Hopefully I make enough putts to make up for that.

"I guess there's probably a little bit of extra pressure but hopefully I will thrive on it this week. I've got a couple of tricks that I know the course likes to throw at you and hopefully I'll use them to my advantage."

Andy Sullivan will look to bounce back from missing the cut at last week's Africa Open and win his third title in South Africa of the year, while Europe's Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke and last week's champion Trevor Fisher Jnr also feature. 

Watch the Tshwane Open live from Thursday on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf.