6 Feb 2023

Fox completes solid UAE tournament in share of 11th

2:07 pm on 6 February 2023

Ryan Fox has narrowly missed a top-10 finish at the latest stop on the DP World Tour, which was won by Englishman Daniel Gavins.

Ryan Fox

Ryan Fox Photo: © golfsupport

New Zealander Fox carded a three-under 69 in his final round of the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in the UAE on Monday to close in a share of 11th place.

The world's 30th-ranked player was in solid form, mixing one eagle with two birdies and a lone bogey to earn prizemoney of $56,000.

Compatriot Daniel Hillier was less composed, finishing with a 76 to slump to 29th - having begun level with Fox heading into day four.

It was a roller-coaster finish to the tournament for Gavins, who twice find the water on the last hole before sinking a long-distance putt for double-bogey which ultimately clinched him his second European title.

Zander Lombard and Alexander Bjork shared second place, a stroke behind a relieved Gavins.

"I put two in the water and thought, `Well, that's one way to end the tournament'," Gavins said about what he described as a "difficult last hole to get through".

"I sunk the putt, went to the back of the green and saw that I was actually winning, still. It was kind of a big shock."

Gavins started the final round two shots off the lead, bogeyed the first, then made six birdies in seven holes to take the lead at Al Hamra Golf Club.

"I felt pretty relaxed all day, to be fair, even though my swing off the tee wasn't great. I just played with what I had.

"I felt it a lot on the 18th but apart from that, I was pretty calm all day."

- RNZ/Reuters