Fox fires a rare million-to-one albatross
Ryan Fox took just one hole to make up three shots on the leaders of the European Tour event in Kuala Lumpur.
The New Zealander moved into a tie for the lead at the Maybank Championship after sinking a 213-yard six-iron for a two on the par-five first yesterday.
An albatross is far rarer than a hole-in-one with Fox’s the first of the European Tour season. The odds of a hole-in-one are about 12,000 to one, while an albatross is estimated to be about one million to one.
However, with plenty of golfers going low at the Saujana Club, Fox slipped back into a tie for 10th, despite a four-under par 68.
Fox, who had two birdies and a bogey to go with the albatross on the front nine, parred every hole on the back to be three shots behind leaders Jorge Campillo, of Spain, and Dylan Fritelli. It was Fox’s third straight 68.
Berry Henson and Khalin Joshi were tied second on 14-under after both carded 65 in their third rounds.
Meanwhile, American star Rickie Fowler took a share of the lead into the weekend in the Phoenix Open. He knows from experience the party is just getting started.
‘‘Just keep the gas pedal down,’’’ Fowler said on Saturday when asked about his approach.
Fowler has had a lot of success at TPC Scottsdale without winning. He finished a shot behind Hunter Mahan in 2010, lost to Hideki Matsuyama on the fourth extra hole in 2016, and tied for fourth last year.
‘‘From the first couple times I played it, I knew it was just kind of a matter of time before I would win here,’’ Fowler said. ‘‘I know I can win here. I put myself in position plenty of times.’’
Fowler was tied with Bryson DeChambeau, with each shooting his second straight 5-under 66.
-AP