Cadillac Championship: Ryan Fox even after round one at signature event

Ryan Fox started with an opening round 72. Photo / Matthew Harris, Golf Picture Agency

Ryan Fox has made a steady start despite a cold putter at the latest US$20 million ($33.8m) signature event on the PGA Tour, with an opening round 72 to start the Cadillac Championship.

Played at Trump National Doral in Miami, the “Blue Monster” didn’t exactly live up to the name, with Players Championship winner Cameron Young surging to the top of the leaderboard with an eight-under 64.

Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth is a shot back, with fellow Americans Alex Smalley and Andrew Putnam also carding rounds of 65.

The PGA Tour hasn’t visited the Florida course since the Cadillac Championship in 2016.

Fox sits in the middle of the field in 43rd place at even-par, seven off the lead.

Fox ranked 70th in strokes gained putting in the 72-man field but made up for it with brilliant touch around the greens.

The Kiwi opened with a birdie at the par-five opening hole before three-putting at the par-four third, which led to a bogey. He made a nice recovery at the 532m par-five eighth after finding the greenside water with his second shot, Fox chipped in with his fourth to leave with birdie.

Fox remained at one-under with four to play but went bogey-birdie-bogey before ending his day with a par.

Australian Adam Scott sits well back in a tie for 69th after he was hit with a two-stroke penalty for playing the wrong ball on the eighth hole, leading to a double-bogey seven. He eventually finished at four-over.

At the DP World Tour’s Turkish Open, Kazuma Kobori sits in a share of 22nd place after opening with a two-under 70, four shots back from leader Mikael Lindberg of Sweden. Fellow Kiwi Daniel Hillier carded an even-par 72 to lie in a share of 63rd.