Ryan Fox keeps calm to win British Open title
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 23 hours ago
Ryan Fox has become just the third New Zealander to win one of golf’s four majors.
The 39-year-old shot a two-under 68 in the final round of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on Sunday (Monday NZ Time) to finish one ahead of American Cameron Young to lift the Claret Jug.
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Fox joined Sir Bob Charles (British Open, 1963) and Michael Campbell (US Open, 2005) as Kiwi major winners.
He started the final day tied for second, two shots behind American Sam Burns, who finished third.
That was after a first-round 72 to be tied for 99th, before carding a 68 for a share of 52nd after round two. He surged up the leaderboard with a record-equalling 62 on the third day.
In the final round Fox knew a birdie on the 18th would be enough to secure his first major title.
The long par-four had yielded only four birdies all day, but the courageous Fox did not take a step back as he chased down long-time clubhouse leader Young.
Fox took the driver out of the bag and launched a powerful of a 330-yard tee-shot into the middle of the fairway.
With 175 yards left, he hit one of the approach shots of his career into the heart of the green.
Then he calmly stepped up and converted the biggest putt of his life from 11 feet.
Fellow New Zealander Kazuma Kobori finished tied for 28th at two-under for the tournament after a final round two-over 74.