CALEDON, ONT. – Regardless of current proof on the contrary, Ryan Fox doesn’t contemplate himself a playoff specialist.
The New Zealander beat American Sam Burns in a four-hole playoff to win the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday, the second win of his PGA Tour profession. The primary additionally got here in a playoff on Could 11 when he birdied the primary additional gap to beat Harry Higgs of the USA and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., to win the Oneflight Myrtle Seaside Basic.
“If you happen to’d have seen any of those I had in Europe, you wouldn’t say that,” mentioned Fox, sitting beside the Canadian Open trophy at a information convention. “I didn’t have an ideal document in Europe in playoffs.
“I really feel such as you’ve obtained to take it on a bit of bit. It turns into match play. You type of wish to put the strain in your opponent a bit of bit.”
Fox had an 0-2 playoff document on the European Tour, shedding to Scotland’s Russell Knox on the 2018 Irish Open and to France’s Victor Perez on the 2022 Dutch Open.
He needed to work to drive the additional holes on Sunday.
Burns fired an 8-under 62 spherical, the most effective of the day, to put declare to the highest of the leaderboard. Nonetheless, he had teed off an hour 45 minutes sooner than Fox and Italy’s Matteo Manaserro, the third spherical co-leaders.
Consequently, Fox nonetheless had many of the course to play as Burns was signing his scorecard. Fox birdied Nos. 14 and 15 to get to inside a shot of Burns after which sank a clutch birdie putt on No. 18 for a 4-under 66 day that pressured the playoff.
No. 18 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley is a 576-yard, par-5 gap with the sloping inexperienced tucked behind a small pond with bunkers on the far aspect.
“I feel 18’s a unique gap in comparison with what it has been all week, not having the ability to get there in two,” mentioned Burns on the opportunity of a playoff and the way he would put together for it. “So I’ll in all probability (be on the vary) attempting to determine what distance we wish to have in for our third shot and possibly hit that shot a couple of instances.”
After Fox and Burns made par on their first two playoff holes. The grounds crew truly reduce a brand new gap nearer to the tee — and the water — for the third and fourth runs down the opening.
Fox’s bolder method on the second and fourth playoff rounds, designed to place strain on Burns, lastly paid off when he attacked the brand new pin.
“I had the precise shot I needed to hit,” mentioned Fox, who certified for subsequent week’s U.S. Open with the victory. “I wasn’t positive within the air if it was going to be a bit of quick or excellent. I didn’t truly see it land. It was getting a bit hazy on the market. Clearly by the gang response I knew it was fairly good.
“In all probability the most effective shot I ever hit in my life given the circumstances.”
Members of the All Whites, New Zealand’s nationwide males’s soccer group, drove as much as TPC Toronto on Sunday to cheer on Fox. They beat Ivory Coast 1-0 the night time earlier than at BMO Discipline within the Canadian Protect match and can face Ukraine on Tuesday.
“That was actually cool, to have the Kiwi help on the market, it was nice,” mentioned Fox. “They had been there all day. We appear to have a number of weeks the place random Kiwis pop up, and to have the All Whites say, ‘hey, is there any probability we are able to come out and watch on Sunday?’ was actually cool.
“To have the ability to meet all of them there on the finish and get a photograph with them was fairly particular.”
Grant Fox, Ryan’s father, was a fly half with the All Blacks, New Zealand’s males’s rugby group, showing in 46 matches and scoring 645 factors in his profession. The elder Fox received the Rugby World Cup in 1987 and continues to be thought of one of many most interesting goal-kickers of all time, getting inducted into the World Rugby Corridor of Fame in 2014.
Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., was the low Canadian, tying for thirteenth at 13 beneath. Taylor received the Canadian Open two years in the past at Oakdale Golf and Nation Membership.
“The power was phenomenal the primary couple days and being close to the lead the final two days,” mentioned Taylor, who will play within the U.S. Open subsequent week at Oakmont Nation Membership exterior Pittsburgh. “I’m drained from it as nicely as a result of it’s enjoyable being up near the lead and attempting to get it finished.
“I’ll get some relaxation the following couple days and be ready.”
TPC Toronto will host the Canadian Open once more subsequent yr.
It was a good leaderboard all through the spherical, with eight gamers tied for first earlier than Fox and Manaserro even teed off.
Eire’s Shane Lowry, for instance, started his day with an eagle and adopted it up with three consecutive birdies to begin his day 5 beneath by way of simply 4 holes to take sole possession of the lead. He bogeyed Nos. 17 and 18 to fall again right into a tie for thirteenth.
