Ryan Fox wins in Canadian Open playoff
- NZ Sports Wire
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox has his second victory on the PGA Tour in less than a month.
Fox defeated American Sam Burns with a tap-in birdie on the fourth playoff hole to win the Canadian Open on Sunday (Monday NZ Time), just four weeks after his maiden PGA Tour win at the Myrtle Beach Classic.
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The 38-year-old from Auckland, who was tied for the 54-hole lead, had to come from three strokes back during the final round at the TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, birdieing three of his final five holes.
With members of the All Whites squad watching and cheering loudly from a greenside hospitality tent, Fox cranked his second shot on the par-five 18th from 259 yards to within nine feet, setting up the victory.
"To be honest, Sam and I had a bit of a pillow fight there for three holes. There was some pretty avearage golf from both of us, some average putting," said Fox, with daughters Isobel and Margot in his arms.
"That shot I hit on 18, that 3-wood, is probably the best shot I've ever hit. It would've been nice to make it (the eagle putt) but I'll take it."
With the US$1.764 million (NZ$2.92 million) winner's cheque and accompanying points, Fox climbed to 25th in the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup standings, putting him in a strong position to make the FedEx Cup playoffs.
"It was tough. I hit some great shots down the stretch in regulation. Probably got a little lucky on that putt on 18 in regulation, just sneaking in the left door," said Fox, who became the first Kiwi to win twice on the PGA Tour in the same season.
Fox won for the first time on the PGA Tour on May 11, chipping in from just off the green on the first playoff hole to beat Canadian Mackenzie Hughes and American Harry Higgs in Myrtle Beach.
Fox started the day tied for the lead at 14-under with Italian Matteo Manassero but quickly found himself two strokes back as Chinese Taipei's Kevin Yu and Frenchman Victor Perez picked up early strokes.
After making the turn at two-under, Burns hit the front with five straight birdies from the 10th to 14th holes to lead by two. He birdied the par-five 18th for an eight-under 62, climbing 15 places after starting the final day four strokes back.
Fox opened with five consecutive pars before a birdie at the par-four sixth hole. Another seven pars followed before birdies at the 14th and 15th holes to get within one shot.
He missed a nine-footer for birdie at the par-four 17th but, with members of the All Whites squad watching greenside, rolled in a 19-foot birdie putt, which just held onto the left edge of the hole, to force a playoff.
But the drama was just getting started.
After Fox put his tee shot in the fairway bunker on the first playoff hole, forcing him to lay up further back, Burns chipped to within five feet but missed the birdie putt for victory, forcing another trip down the 18th.
Fox cranked his drive on the second playoff hole, going to the green in two but coming up short - and flirting with the water, before a poor chip and 12-foot birdie putt, which he left well short, for the win, sent it to a 75th hole.
Down the 18th for the fourth time of the day, but this time with a different hole location, both players laid up. Neither hit a great approach shot, with Fox on the green, while Burns spun his chip from 75 yards off the green and into the first-cut.
Fox went long with his 39-foot putt for victory, making a nervy par putt, while Burns made a comfortable up-and-down, sending the pair back to the 18th tee.
Both players went for the green in two on the fourth playoff hole. Fox hit the shot of his life, with Burns' shot leaking to the left. The American sent his first putt long, missing the come-backer from 10 feet and tapping in for par.
Fox just needed to two-putt from nine feet and duly did, earning a place in this week's US Open in the process.
