Golf: Ryan Fox called up for WGC-Mexico Championship event

New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox is set for a shot at a major payday after being called into the field for the WGC-Mexico Championship starting Friday NZT.

Following his victory at the World Super 6 event in Perth on Sunday, Fox was launched up 19 places to 66th in the world rankings.

The top 50 players in the world automatically qualify for the WGC-Mexico Championship but Fox has made the field after being named as an alternative following a number of withdrawls.

The winner's purse at the Mexican event was US$1.7m last year with the last place finisher still getting US$51,500.

The 72-man field includes the likes of Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson.

Fox was set to prepare for next week's New Zealand Open, before taking time off for his wedding, and then playing at the Maybank Championship in Malaysia.

He told Radio Sport this week his next goal is to make the top 50 in the world, which ensures automatic entry into events such as the Players Championship, the Masters and the Open Championship, though Fox is aware it might take a few months to realise that objective.

"There's an opportunity to get into that top 50 if I play really well — I'd probably have to win the New Zealand Open and Malaysia — but it's not as far away as it seemed earlier in the year. I've put myself in a good place and can hopefully kick on nicely from here."