When the Masters reached its climax just under two weeks ago, Oliver Fisher was sitting at home with his parents in Chigwell, Essex, watching on television, making notes and planning his assault on one of the sport’s highest peaks. Take note: planning, not dreaming.

As one of the game’s brightest young prospects, Fisher, at 18, is beginning to find his feet among the professionals. He was still an amateur when he finished fifth at the European Tour’s gruelling Qualifying School last November and has surprised few with the way in which he has acclimatised to life in the paid ranks.

With his father, Rupert — a former fruit and veg wholesaler — travelling with him as confidant and caddie, Fisher has missed only two halfway cuts in nine tournaments around the world and today he begins his tenth event, the BMW Asian Open in Shanghai, in a field that includes Ernie Els, Paul Casey, Retief Goosen and Colin Montgomerie.

Fisher, the youngest Briton to qualify for a place on the European Tour, is learning fast. He finished in a share of eleventh place at the Qatar Masters, his fourth event, and thirteenth in the TCL Classic on Hainan Island, China, in his seventh. His best round is 65, his worst 77.

To spend time in his company is to understand what goes into making the thoroughly modern professional golfer. It is a world a million miles removed from that once inhabited by one former Masters champion, Ian Woosnam, who turned pro exactly 30 years before Fisher and went on to become world No 1.

In his early days, Woosnam travelled to tournaments in an old camper van, surviving on beer and baked beans. It is said that the most important piece of equipment the Welshman had, apart from his clubs, was a tin-opener.

In his first five years as a pro, Woosnam won about £5,000 and relied heavily on his father, a dairy farmer, who reportedly sold a herd of cows to help to support his son. A fighter to the core and a promising boxer to boot, Woosnam never lost sight of his dream. He was hungry and was determined to fight his way to the top.

Fisher is equally hungry, although more pampered. Whereas Woosnam had himself and his tin-opener, Fisher is surrounded by advisers — a prince who would be king. As well as Chris Jenkins, his coach of many years, he has the management expertise of IMG — which also looks after the interests of Tiger Woods — a top fitness trainer, a psychologist and two statisticians to help him to analyse his game. And with the backing of a strong family, as well as Nike and BMW, not to mention advice any time he wants it from Nick Faldo, Fisher wants for nothing.

One day on the week of the Masters was a case in point. It began when Fisher took delivery of a new BMW (courtesy of the car maker), continued at IMG’s offices in West London with a spot of media training and ended with a two-hour fitness session at the acclaimed Pure Sports Medicine — which refers to its elite athletes as the “one percenters”, the sports-people seeking that extra 1 per cent that can be the difference between winning and losing.

Fisher has been working under the guidance there of Steve Nance, an Australian whose main work is with Fulham Football Club. Nance has developed a wide-ranging programme, designed specifically for injury prevention and with golf in mind. The regimen includes cardiovascular work as well as exercises for explosive power, balance and strength.

One such involves Fisher donning boxing gloves and hitting punching pads — 50 upper cuts followed by 50 jabs and so on, all in quick succession. He hits, he weaves and he sweats. It is all a far cry from the sedate world of golf, but Fisher knows that when the pressure is on, the fitter he is, the better his concentration will be.

Most impressive, for one so young, is Fisher’s level of focus and professional approach. Neither flash nor wide-eyed, he is not one to praise himself unduly, recognises his mistakes and learns from them. He carries around a notebook and is steadily filling it with thoughts, sketches and instructions. It is his Little Black Book and no one gets to see it.

In many ways he has the air of a sporting assassin. He has the gift of all great champions — the ability to play outrageous shots under pressure, as he did on at least two occasions when representing Great Britain and Ireland as a 16-year-old (the youngest ever) in the Walker Cup in 2005. “Since I turned pro, I’ve worked hard at everything,” Fisher said. “I really enjoy it and the gym side of it is particularly addictive. The biggest thing, though, is gaining experience.

“The pro courses are set up much harder than the amateur ones and I’m tending to make a few more mistakes than I used to. But now I’m starting to get it right. I’m enjoying it and am becoming more familiar with what it’s like to be playing on tour. Having Dad there helps a lot. It’s strange going from country to country, hotel to hotel, and if I was on my own, it could be a bit daunting.”

Fisher’s priority is to retain his card to play on the Tour next year, but he also hopes to qualify for the Open Championship at Carnoustie. Now that, he said, would be a dream.

A dream, yes; a pipedream, no.

Prize prodigy

–– Born September 13, 1988
–– Lives in Chigwell, Essex, with mother, father and two younger sisters
–– At 16 became youngest player to compete in the Walker Cup, representing Great Britain and Ireland against the United States in Chicago
–– At 18 became youngest Briton to win a place on the European Tour after finishing fifth, as an amateur, at 2006 Qualifying School in Spain
–– Has made the halfway cut in seven out of his first nine tournaments on tour
–– Earnings to date, €67,747 (about £46,000); approximate sum needed to retain card, €210,000

Oliver Fisher will be writing for The Times at regular intervals throughout the season.