Anxious wait for Fox over PGA participation
AUCKLAND: Ryan Fox thinks he might have just done enough to qualify for next week’s PGA Championship but faces an anxious wait.
The 35yearold New Zealand No 1 finished in a tie for eighth at the European Tour’s British Masters at the Belfry on 6under par, four shots behind winner Thorbjorn Olesen, of Denmark, earning $66,000 for his efforts.
Fox climbs four spots to 13th in the tour standings, continuing a fine run of form that has resulted in him claiming two previous top15 finishes since returning to Europe last month.
After winning for the second time on the tour in Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE in early February, Fox adjusted his goals to aim to qualify for the PGA Championship and 150th British Open.
The top 100 in the world rankings are guaranteed a place in the 156strong field for the year’s second major at Southern Hills in Oklahoma next week.
The top 70 from the PGA Tour money list from the 2021 AT&T Byron Nelson to the 2022 Wells Fargo Championship, which finished yesterday, qualify too.
Others who qualify for the field include the major winners over the past five years.
Fox is 110 in the official world rankings which are updated today and he can expect to climb several places but probably not enough to get inside the top 100.
However, there is a chance the ranking cutoff could be outside the top 100 which may mean Fox could sneak in.
‘‘My inkling is I’ll probably get in, but it’s up to the PGA of America,’’ Fox said.
‘‘I think they’ve got a meeting tomorrow in the States. From what I understand that dishes out the final invites to the field, which by all accounts goes down to world rankings.
‘‘So hopefully I should go up a little bit after this week, but it’s always hard to work out how much you’re actually going to go up.
‘‘But now I’m hearing potentially the entry cutoff might go down as far as 116 in which case I will be fine. Or it could be 105 or 106, I’m going to be really tight.’’
The Aucklander has earned $658,000 so far in 2022, the bulk of which came from his victory in February.
While making the field for the second major of the year has been a goal, he is not going to lose any sleep wondering whether he will get in and is just pleased to be playing well.
‘‘A couple of top 10s and a top 15 and three weeks back after eight weeks off, I would have taken that. I had a chance to play my way into the PGA, which I’ll find out for sure in 24 hours.
‘‘I feel like I’ve done what I could control fairly well. At least I’ve got a chance and I obviously want to play but if I don’t, I just get a week off.
‘‘So it’s just one of those things. I’m probably not as nervous about it as I would have been a few years ago. I’m just happy with where everything’s at on and off the golf course.’’
Fox confirmed even if he does qualify, he will still play this week’s tournament in Belgium. —