Still high off his emphatic win at the BMW PGA Championship this weekend, Ryan Fox finds himself at a pivotal juncture in his career.
The 36-year-old Kiwi needed a birdie on the last to beat Tyrell Hatton, and in sinking one shocked the golfing world with victory atWentworth Golf Club in Surrey.
Fox, who made four birdies in six holes from the 10th, told Newstalk ZB’s D’Arcy Waldegrave it had been a “pretty whirlwind” the past few days.
“It’s going to be hard to come down from that and then try to get up and play again this week,” he said. “I’d probably argue I might still be hungover slightly from Sunday night as well but it’s just been incredible.”
Fox finished on 18-under, with English duo Hatton and Aaron Rai a shot back. World number three Jon Rahm was two shots behind Fox with FedEx Cup winner and world number four Viktor Hovland another shot behind.
Fox surged 11 places to a world ranking of 31 and is third on the DP Tour, behind Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm. It was his fourth victory on the DP World Tour and he earned US$1.53 million (NZ$2.59m) for the win, the biggest payday of his career.
Ryan Fox plays his second shot on the 13th hole during Day One of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club. Photo / Getty Images
Fox managed to seal the victory despite a triple bogey on the 3rd hole during the final round that looked to have ended his victory hopes early on.
Asked about his comeback, especially after the difficult hole, Fox highlighted the importance of a strong mental game and the unpredictable nature of golf.
“I don’t know if it just reset everything or if it just, it kind of relaxed me and gone well, I’m out of contention now, so it doesn’t matter.
“I settled myself down ... and caught fire on the back nine. I think the great thing about Wentworth as a golf course is anything can happen. There are some pretty intimidating shots out there. I was lucky enough to be the one who caught fire and to keep it going and do it under those circumstances in that field was pretty amazing.”
Fox also emphasised the significance of the BMW PGA Championship and the illustrious names on its trophy.
“I was looking at the other day and Arnold Palmer won it in 1975. I mean, to be on a trophy that that guy’s been on is pretty incredible.
“To look back on it and see guys like Tyrell, Tommy [Fleetwood] and John Rahm, Victor Holvand and Rory McIlroy sitting behind you and know that I’ve actually gone out and beaten those guys in one of the biggest tournaments probably in the world, it’s pretty special.”
Fox acknowledged the significant impact of the win on his plans for the future, especially regarding the PGA Tour.
“I’ve now got three years guaranteed status [on the European Tour] and for the PGA Tour card. Job security in this game, you don’t get very often - it gives me the opportunity to do it next year properly. I can commit to the PGA tour, I can come back and play some events in Europe. I can potentially move the family over to the US or at least get a base over there so they can travel up there a bit.”
He previously revealed that a hiatus in New Zealand had helped him rediscover joy for a game he still “absolutely loves” playing. His family has endured a tumultuous year. It has included the arrival of his second child, but also the death of his father-in-law and his mother-in-law’s illness. Fox said the break in New Zealand had allowed him to get treatment on niggling injuries that were having a more detrimental influence on his game than he realised.
Fox, a down-to-earth superstar, was overwhelmed with the messages he had received and hoped the Warriors, All Blacks and Black Caps would get similar boosts.
He confirmed that the Warriors’ “Up the Wahs” shout had made it to Wentworth.
“I heard it a lot [in the final round] and a lot in the practice rounds,” he said.
“I watched the last 60 minutes [of the Warriors’ NRL playoff win over Newcastle] on Saturday morning when I woke up. It was awesome to see the boys go so well.
“I’ll be looking forward to supporting them next weekend. It’s cool to see the whole country behind them and it’s definitely made it to the UK - I can vouch for that.”
Luke Kirkness is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He previously covered consumer affairs for the Herald and was an assistant news director in the Bay of Plenty. He won Student Journalist of the Year in 2019.
