Ryan Fox celebrates with his family after winning the Myrtle Beach Classic in South Carolina. Photo: AFP
New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox says sealing his first ever win on the US PGA Tour "feels like a monkey off my back".
His $1.2 million win on the first play off hole at the Myrtle Beach Classic in South Carolina also earned him a two-year tour exemption and entry into the upcoming second major of the year - the PGA Championship.
Fox started the final round three shots off the lead in a tie for fourth and his bogey-free final round of 66 put him in contention for the title, where he pipped Canadian MacKenzie Hughes and American Harry Higgs on the first play-off hole, nailing a 16 metre chip shot from just off the green.
After signing for a final round five-under-par 66, Fox earned his spot in the playoff when Hughes blew a one-stroke lead with a bogey at the 18th and Higgs was only able to par the last.
Fox celebrated with his wife Anneke Ryff and two young daughters.
"It's Mother's Day today," Fox told reporters.
"So my wife sort of joked on Friday when I said, 'What can I get you for Mother's Day?' And she goes, 'Well, a trophy would be nice'. So I guess I lived up to my end of the bargain there.
"To have the wife and kids here is amazing."
Photo: AFP / Getty Images / Andy Lyons
After claiming the prestigious BMW PGA Championship title in 2023 for his fourth win on the European Tour, he packed up his young family to try his luck in the United States.
"I haven't transitioned probably as well as I would have liked over the PGA Tour," the 38-year-old said.
"It was tough last year, I managed to just keep my card, and it's been a scratchy start this year as well.
"I always, deep down, felt like I could compete with the guys out here, I just haven't been able to put it together. And I was very happy to do it this week.
"In this game, you don't get to win very often. You don't get job security very often either," he concluded.
"So it's certainly nice to have that. And at the back of my mind, can feel like for the rest of the year, I can freewheel it a little bit. Hopefully that takes some pressure off.
"We'll see how it goes in the next few weeks. But yeah, it's feels like a monkey off my back, that's for sure."
-Reuters/RNZ
