Fox moves ahead in leaps and bounds
Ryan Fox is relaxed as he settles into the couch, waiting to be choppered 4500 feet above sea level to attempt the world’s highest hole-in-one at Cecil Peak near Queenstown.
New Zealand’s top-ranked golfer is casually talking to fellow pros, preparing to be whisked away to smash some golf balls into the wide blue yonder.
Relaxing, smashing golf balls, having fun – it’s basically what he does each week.
And Fox has been doing what he does very, very well.
The 28-year-old is coming of age as a professional golfer and getting the results, so much so he is the leading Kiwi hope to break a 12-year drought at the $1 million New Zealand Open, which starts on Thursday in Arrowtown.
It says a lot about his form that he has usurped US PGA Tour players such as Danny Lee, Steve Alker and Tim Wilkinson, and Japan Tour players such as Michael Hendry and David Smail, to become New Zealand’s No 1.
The aforementioned have a lot more world ranking points available to them on a weekly basis given the higher profile tours they play in, whereas Fox plies his trade on lower key tours such as the PGA Tour of Australasia, which sanctions the New Zealand Open, and OneAsia.
When he won the Queensland PGA Championship two weeks ago, with a stunning eagle-eagle-par finish, it was his second Australasian tour win in six months and catapulted him to No 1.
‘‘It was a bit of a surprise, it’s come quickly pretty over the last six months,’’ he says.
‘‘It’s an honour to be in that position, but you try not to put too much emphasis on it. You set your goals, where you’d like to sit, and I reached mine last year, but this is another year.’’
Consistency of performance and feeling comfortable on the bigger stages, and when contending for tournaments, are the two additions to Fox’s game from when he first turned pro.
‘‘When you first turn pro it’s hard to know what to expect really. I did have some good results but I maybe felt a little out of my comfort zone. I’m starting to enjoy myself more in the bigger events and in front of bigger crowds, and it’s pretty much been fun the whole time.’’
Fox still dreams of playing in the United States or Europe and will head back to qualifying schools for both at the end of the year. He hopes to get straight through to the final stage of qualifying for the Web.com Tour, the US PGA Tour’s feeder tour.
But his immediate future lies again with the Australasian and OneAsia tours, where he’s hoping to rack up enough world ranking points to remain in the frame for the 2016 Olympics.
The two top-ranked players from New Zealand should qualify for Rio.
‘‘It’s a funny one, as a golfer the Olympics aren’t in your dreams growing up but now it has been included, you speak to all the guys and they’d love to represent their country at the biggest sporting event in the world.’’
As for this week, he’d just like to be around on Sunday. He was last year, getting to within one of the lead in the final round before Australian Dimi Papadatos put the foot down and won by four shots.
Fox acknowledges there is added pres- sure teeing off as the Kiwi No 1 and, with no New Zealander having won their national open since Mahal Pearce in 2003, that pressure is exacerbated. But the renowned bighitter is just trying to relax and have fun.
‘‘I love it down here, Millbrookis a great golf course and obviously The Hills is fantastic. I’ve got lots of good memories. Hopefully, I can bring those into this week and be there with a chance on Sunday.’’