Ryan Fox at the 2022 Open Championship
Photo: photosport
Auckland golfer Ryan Fox has his fingers crossed that he can put four good rounds together at this week’s British Open.
Fox is one of two New Zealanders lining up for the 151st Open Championship which this year is at Royal Liverpool.
It’s the seventh time he’ll tee up for the tournament, but admits he’s had a less than ideal build-up.
2022 was his standout year, winning twice and finishing second on the World Tour order of merit.
However the 36 year old has had some other challenges in 2023.
He shifted from the European based World Tour to the US PGA Tour.
He had the high of welcoming the arrival of his second child to the lows of sickness and a family bereavement.
“My game definitely isn’t as sharp as it was last year and in a lot of tournaments I’ve played solid without it being spectacular.
“But there’s also been a lot of new stuff like playing on the PGA Tour so it’s hard to judge how much affect its had on my golf game.”
He admits he probably hasn’t practised as much as he should have.
“When I’ve been home I feel like I probably haven’t put the work in in preparation for tournaments that I’ve done in the past and that’s definitely been family related.
“I’ve been dad and tried to help out as much as possible and golf has taken a bit of a back seat and so when I’ve come away I’ve sort of hoped it (my game) hasn’t gone too far away.
“I’ve been lucky this year for the most part that coming off not a lot of golf I’ve played pretty solid.
Fox’s best result at the Open was a tie for 16th in 2016.
He’s coming off a tie for 12th at the Scottish Open last weekend.
“I hadn’t had a lot of prep leading into it and so I was a little rusty, but certainly would have taken tied for 12th at the beginning of the week.
Ryan Fox at the 2022 Open Championship
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Fox has never played Royal Liverpool but pick up a few tips from a couple of practice rounds and from a member of his team.
“My manager actually grew up playing Royal Liverpool and so he’s been explaining how to play a few holes.
“Like most Open Championship venues it can be a bit quirky at times and there’s some interesting holes and that’s the great thing about links golf it just fits into what the land gives.
This is the first year Fox will have played all four majors.
He tied for 26th at the Masters, tied for 23rd at the PGA Championship and tied for 43rd at the US Open.
He says while he’s been solid in tournaments including the majors this year, he hasn’t been totally happy.
“It’s always been one round or one set of nine holes that has let me down a little bit.
“Hopefully this is the week that I can put four rounds together
Fox will head back to the United States after The Open for a couple of tournaments to round out his PGA season before heading home.
Daniel Hillier, who won the British Masters last month, is the other New Zealander in the field.
Hillier has played The Open once before, missing the cut in 2021.
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