Clutch Fischer claims Visa Argentine Open title

NORDELTA, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina—Zack Fischer had never played a PGA TOUR Latinoamérica tournament. After a stellar four days, Fischer can also say he’s never lost a PGA TOUR Latinoamérica tournament. The Korn Ferry Tour member two-putted from 48 feet on the 72nd hole, making a clutch, four-foot par putt he had to make to avoid a playoff, to secure his one-stroke victory in the 116th playing of the Visa Argentine Open presented by Macro. With the triumph over Linus Lilliedahl came the trophy from the tournament that dates to 1905 and an invitation from the R&A to the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in England.

“It’s huge. The fact it gives me a chance to play in The Open Championship, which is the oldest tournament in the world, is so cool. I’m just over the moon right now,” said Fischer of his first professional win and the opportunity to spend a week in England this July.

Fischer entered the final round of the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica season-opener at Nordelta Golf Club with a three-shot lead, but Lilliedahl kept chipping away on the front nine and finally caught Fischer when he birdied the 11th hole, the two tied with seven holes remaining.

“I was happy to start the back (nine) off good, birdie-birdie, to put some pressure on Zack,” Lilliedahl observed. “On No. 12, it was all Fischer could do to stay even with Lilliedahl after his approach shot flew the green. He followed that with a poor chip, and he faced a 30-footer for par, a putt he remarkably drained.

On the 13th hole, both players birdied the par-5, with Fischer taking the lead that ultimately led to the victory a hole later when he birdied the 14th, Lilliedahl settling for par. With Fischer holding a one-stroke advantage on the 18th tee, he hit his drive down the fairway, while Lilliedahl was in the right fairway bunker. Lilliedahl’s second-shot approach landed short and right of the green, while Fischer’s approach ended on the top shelf of the two-tiered green, 48 feet away.

“I intended to hit it on the aggressive side, for sure,” Lilliedahl said of his chip. “I assumed Zack was going to two-putt. I knew I had to make birdie. I attacked. On the second bounce, it couldn’t have been more than an inch (from hitting the pin). It was close.”

“I thought, honestly, he was going to chip in on 18. He hit that chip, and I thought it was going to jump right in the hole,” said Fischer.

After missing the pin, Lilliedahl’s ball rolled 14 feet past, but he made the par save, putting the pressure on Fischer, who hit his first putt to four feet. “To make his putt to make me make my putt, that was too much pressure, for sure,” Fischer said of Lilliedahl. When Fischer rolled in his par putt, the victory was his.

“It was an amazing feeling when it dropped in the hole,” Fischer said.

“He played incredible, and that’s an understatement,” continued Fischer about his admiration for Lilliedahl’s play. “He didn’t make a bogey all day long. I don’t think he made a bad swing. He’s an incredible player.”

“I had a good day. I gave Zack a good run for his money. Zack played really, really nice over the weekend,” said Lilliedahl who turned in his career-best performance in this his 20th start, shooting a final-round 66. Lilliedahl’s previous-best PGA TOUR Latinoamérica showing was a tie for 12th in Mazatlan, Mexico, at the 2022 Estrella del Mar Open. “A 6-under round, you can’t really complain about that. I wanted to win. That’s why I’m here. It sucks to fall a little bit short. I’m not going to lie to you.

Did you know that while this was Zack Fischer’s first PGA TOUR Latinoamérica start, he has played 116 career Korn Ferry Tour tournaments, made eight PGA TOUR appearances and played twice on PGA TOUR Canada? He has three career third-place Korn Ferry Tour performances, and he tied for 14th at the 2019 Valero Texas Open for his best PGA TOUR showing.

Key Information 

The Visa Argentine Open presented by Macro is also the first of four tournaments that make up the Zurich Argentina Swing. The Zurich Argentina Swing rewards the player who performs the best in the four Argentina tournaments with a U.S. $10,000 bonus. Players’ Totalplay Cup points accumulated in the four tournaments are compiled, with the player with the most Totalplay Cup points declared the winner.

2022-23 Zurich Argentina Swing Schedule

This was the 150th PGA TOUR Latinoamérica tournament in history.

There were 50 Argentines playing in their national open, with 14 making the cut and four—Santiago Bauni, Alejandro Tosti, Augusto Núñez and Alan Wagner—posting top-10s. Here is how they finished:

Zack Fischer played the final 39 holes of the Visa Argentine Open bogey-free. During that stretch, he made 12 birdies and 27 pars. His last bogey came on his 15th hole of the second round, on the par-4 sixth hole.

Six players turned in four under-par rounds this week. They were Zack Fischer, Linus Lilliedahl, Santiago Bauni, Chandler Blanchet, Alan Wagner and Augusto Núñez. Of that group, only Fischer and Bauni had four rounds in the 60s.  

In 45 previous PGA TOUR Latinoamérica starts, Argentina’s Santiago Bauni had never earned a top-10. He changed that this week with his tie for third. His previous-best performance was a tie for 14th at the 2017 Roberto De Vicenzo Punta del Este Open in Uruguay.

Following the third round, Linus Lilliedahl had some lunch and then intended to hit some balls on the range. With the Argentina-Australia World Cup taking place, Nordelta Golf Club shut down the range. “I couldn’t get any work in [Saturday]. So I woke up extra early today and practiced a little bit. I found a nice rhythm and was able to ride that feeling all day,” he said.

Canadian Myles Creighton had the low round of the day and the tournament with his 5-under 65 that moved him from a tie for 18th when the day began into a tie for third—matching his career-best. He also tied for third earlier this year toward the end of the 2021-22 season, at the Jalisco Open in Guadalajara, Mexico. Creighton is in his third PGA TOUR Latinoamérica season. He finished 30th on the 2021-22 Totalplay Cup.

With his tie for eighth this week, this is Alex Weiss’ second consecutive top-10 finish in the Visa Argentine Open. A year ago, also at Nordelta Golf Club, Weiss tied for 10th. This ties for his second-best PGA TOUR Latinoamerica performance. Weiss finished second to Jonathan Somers at the 2019 Chile Open for his top showing. He also tied for eighth at the 2021 Holcim Colombia Classic.

Charlie Hilier bounced back from a disappointing start to tie for 11th. Hillier posted a first-round, 3-over 75 then reeled off a pair of 69s and a third-round 68 to end the tournament at 7-under.

Linus Lilliedahl was attempting to become the first European to win the Visa Argentine Open since 2008, when Finland’s Antti Ahokas defeated Argentina’s Martin Monguzzi by three shots at Hurlingham Club in Buenos Aires. Since the tournament’s inception, seven Europeans have won 10 titles.

Following a 4-over, third-round 76, Joseph Winslow rebounded with a 5-under 67 Sunday to move up 22 leaderboard positions, into a tie for 11th. He missed earning a top-10 when he bogeyed his 18th hole. His 67 consisted of four birdies and an eagle to go with the bogey and 12 pars.

Quotable

“Just hitting it on the green on that hole is a big accomplishment. I really thought my 3-iron was going to be pin-high, but it came in too flat and went to the back of the green.” –Zack Fischer on his 18th-hole approach shot

“He wasn’t going away. It was very evident.” –Zack Fischer on playing partner Linus Lilliedahl

“I’m a little bummed I couldn’t capitalize on some of my opportunities.” –Linus Lilliedahl

“It’s cool to perform when it matters the most. I just fell just one shot short, and Zack played really good over the weekend. There’s not much else you can do.” –Linus Lilliedahl

“Not necessarily a putt, but definitely I wanted to get a little closer with the approach shots.” –Linus Lilliedahl on disappointment he may have felt on the greens

Final-Round Weather: Sunny and hot, with a sunshine and few clouds all day. High of 89. Wind E at 6-9 mph.