Fox feels better prepared Golf
So far, so good for New Zealand Open favourite Ryan Fox.
The 33-year-old knows that could well change in the coming days, but he at least feels in better shape than he did 12 months ago, having completed another whirlwind trip to Central America for the WGC-Mexico Championship.
Fox arrived in Arrowtown early yesterday morning, about 24 hours before he tees off at The Hills at 8.14am today, and wasted little time completing a practice round at Millbrook near Queenstown.
‘‘It’s just the way that it goes,’’ Fox told media ahead of his 12th tilt at the Brodie Breeze Trophy.
‘‘We looked at every available option to get out of Mexico on Sunday night and get here a day earlier. There’s just no way to do it. So it was just suck it up.’’
Fox started well last year, carding rounds of 68 and 66 going into the weekend, before jet-lag crept up on him and his third-round 71 left him with too much work to do on Sunday.
He eventually finished six shots behind Australian winner Zach Murray.
Fox said little could be changed from last year in a bid to minimise the jet-lag, but he at least knows what to expect after the almost 24-hour journey.
He popped a sleeping tablet on the lengthy flight home and banked about nine hours’ sleep.
An early morning tee-time today should help, as long as he didn’t give in to temptation and take a nap yesterday afternoon.
‘‘I felt pretty good after having a shower in the lounge this morning, but it’s starting to catch up with me a little bit now,’’ Fox said.
‘‘It will be nice having 24 hours between the two rounds. Sometimes that can be a bit tough, especially if you play well in the first round, but I feel like the body and the mind might need a little bit of time to relax after tomorrow’s round.’’
Fox, who told Stuff before he departed for Mexico that his secondplaced finish at the Vic Open earlier this month was the kick-start he needed to the year, finished in a share of 29th at the $10.5 million Mexico-WGC Championship at Club de Golf Chapultepec.
Ranked 125th in the world, he’s the $12 favourite this week with Kiwi bookies, ahead of 2011 NZ Open winner Brad Kennedy ($15).
Four years after first offering his services, Kiwi Steve Williams, Tiger Woods’ former long-time caddie, will again carry Fox’s bags, while Australian cricket great Shane Warne is Fox’s amateur partner.
‘‘He’s [Williams] wanted to keep doing it and I feel pretty privileged that he wants to do that. Obviously, he’s seen arguably the best golf that anyone has ever played over that mid 2000s period with Tiger. I can certainly learn a lot off him,’’ Fox said.
‘‘I know a NZ Open is missing off his resume. It would be nice if we can both tick it off one of these years.
‘‘I certainly would love this to be the year it happens. If it doesn’t, hopefully I get a few more chances.’’
Defending champion Murray, who last year recorded the first wireto-wire NZ Open win since Sir Bob Charles in 1954, is in the same boat as Fox.
The 397th ranked world golfer finished in a share of 48th in Mexico, after being downed by food poisoning a couple of days out from the start of the tournament.
Murray was grouped with Fox for the third round and said the pair discussed the logistics of arriving in Arrowtown so close before the start of play.
‘‘But I’m fortunate in the regard that I think jet-lag, it just doesn’t affect me as much as it does others. But touch wood, it’s all right this week and I can get some good rest tonight. I am going to be a little bit tired, so there’s probably going to be a little bit of frustration which could potentially happen.
‘‘It’s not often you come and defend a title, but I’m definitely going to give it a red-hot crack.’’