New Zealander Ryan Fox birdies last hole to win British Open
SOUTHPORT: New Zealander Ryan Fox won the 154th British Open with a birdie at the last to claim his first major at 10 under par on Sunday. The world number 56 produced a two-under-par 68 on the final day to pip American Cameron Young to the Claret Jug by one...
New Zealand’s Ryan Fox produced a dramatic finish at Royal Birkdale on Sunday, birdieing the final hole to win the 154th British Open and secure his first major championship at 10 under par.
The 39-year-old world number 56 closed with a two-under-par 68 to edge American Cameron Young by one shot and lift the Claret Jug. Fox, the son of former All Black rugby international Grant Fox, began the final day well outside the lead after sitting 52nd following the first two rounds at level par. His chances transformed on Saturday when he matched the all-time major championship record of 62, giving himself a place in the title picture heading into the final round.
Fox held firm when several of the overnight contenders slipped back in a tense closing stretch. He made birdies at the 13th, 14th, 16th and 18th holes to put together the strongest round of the day under heavy pressure. After his winning putt, he said he was still taking in the moment and recalled a conversation with his children, who had asked him to bring home a trophy.
The victory makes Fox only the third man from New Zealand to win a major, joining Bob Charles, who won the 1964 British Open, and Michael Campbell, who claimed the 2005 US Open.
American Sam Burns started the final round with a two-shot lead, but three straight bogeys from the fourth hole ended that advantage and left him in third place at eight under. South Korea’s Kim Si-woo was also in the hunt for much of the day, but a difficult back nine took him out of contention.
Young mounted the strongest late charge. He surged through the front nine in 29 strokes to move into the lead and added birdies at the 14th and 17th to reach 10 under. But he found trouble at the final hole, ending up in the bunker and making bogey, which left him one shot short of Fox.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler finished in a tie for fourth at seven under after an eventful round that included early momentum and late bogeys at the 13th, 15th and 18th. Local favourite Tommy Fleetwood briefly gave the home crowd hope of an English winner, climbing into contention before three consecutive bogeys halted his challenge. He finished tied with Scheffler after ending strongly with back-to-back birdies.
Rory McIlroy never seriously threatened the lead and signed for a 71 to finish on one under for the tournament. Bryson DeChambeau, whose second-round penalty had drawn attention earlier in the championship, ended at four under.
This report is based on a monitored public feed and is attributed to Dawn Sport.
Source: Dawn Sport - https://www.dawn.com/news/2016869/new-zealander-ryan-fox-birdies-last-hole-to-win-british-open
