In 46 years and over 690,000 rounds of golf nobody had ever gone lower than 60 on the European Tour but Fisher changed all that at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, making ten birdies and an eagle in his 12 under par round.


After starting the day at level par his historic round took him to the top of the leaderboard alongside fellow Englishman Eddie Pepperell and overnight leader Lucas Herbert of Australia.


Herbert carded a 67 with Pepperell going one better but the day belonged to Fisher, who could have gone one lower, but grazed the edge on the last when putting for a 58.


Since the formation of the European Tour in 1972 there had been 19 rounds of 60, with David Llewellyn's in 1988 and Brandon Stone's earlier this summer sandwiching - among 14 others - two from Darren Clarke and one here in Valamoura from Scott Jamieson in 2013.


Fisher has now written his own chapter of European Tour history, and after having to fire a 64 here two years ago to keep his card, he admits it is an amazing feeling to be Mr 59.


Another Englishman in Matt Wallace is one shot off the lead at 11 under par, one clear of China's Li Haotong, Italian Renato Paratore and Frenchman Adrien Saddier. Ricardo Gouveia is the leading Portuguese player, recording a round of 66 to sit amongst a group of four players on nine under par.