When thought of in the context of the iconic fable “The Tortoise and the Hare”, golf is often a game that lends itself to the tortoise philosophy. Many embrace a methodical approach to the sport, studying each hole for minutes and using data-driven tools to select the right club for every situation. In this context, New Zealand’s Ryan Fox might as well be Usain Bolt.
The largely unheralded Kiwi impressed onlookers at the 154th edition of the Open Championship at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in England, sinking an all-important birdie on the 18th hole a mere 22 seconds after groupmate Sam Burns had retrieved his ball from the hole, securing his first major title without giving golf’s faithful much time to process the moment.
And that was hardly the first time Fox’s speed and style of play turned heads at Royal Birkdale. Tied for 52nd after 36 holes, Fox delivered a speedy and precise third round, going eight under par – gaining 51 positions in the process – to rocket up the leaderboard into a tie for first place. That round ultimately put him on the radar of many golf fans, who praised his pace of play.
But none of what transpired at Royal Birkdale came as a shock to Fox’s caddie, Dean Smith. “He’s probably the fastest player in the world,” he told the PGA Tour. His words were backed up a comment once made by Olympic champion Scottie Scheffler, who told Fox: “It doesn’t even feel like you’re in the group. It just feels like we’re playing in a two-ball; you hit so fast.”
Fox still isn’t sure whether that was meant as a compliment or subtle dig, but admits there’s a certain simplicity to his playing style that emphasises speed and confidence. “I was never methodical at anything, to be honest,” the Southern Hemisphere golfer told the PGA. “The less time I have to think about it, the less bad stuff can creep in there.”
“It’s not that difficult to pick a shot and pick a club,” he added, explaining his approach more in remarks to The Athletic. “You only really need to concentrate properly for 30 seconds or a minute before hitting a shot, and then you can switch off again – that’s the strategy I’ve had going pretty much my whole golf career.”
Continuing a family legacy on English greens
The assured nature of Fox’s style of play likely comes from generations of experience at the highest level of sport in New Zealand. His maternal grandfather, Merv Wallace, served as a Test captain for New Zealand’s cricket team in his time, while his father, Grant Fox, was a renowned goalkicker for New Zealand’s iconic All Blacks at the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.
Raised in a sporty household, Fox tried his hand at both sports as a youngster, but ultimately found his true passion in golf. He began practising the sport more seriously as a teenager, graduating to the professional ranks aged 25. He’s now one of the oldest first-time major champions in modern golf – something he credits to that sporty upbringing.
“I felt like I had an on-course psychologist for a long time,” Fox said of his father – who served as his caddie early in his career – during an interview with the IGF ahead of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. “I think [with] top-level sport, the mental side translates pretty well between different sports, and I was very lucky in that respect.”
He made the most of golf’s long-awaited return to the Olympic sports programme at the Olympic Games Rio 2016, capitalising on an opportunity to represent New Zealand on the global stage – a decision that proved popular amongst his sport-crazed family. “That was me being the third generation of my family to play for New Zealand and three different sports,” he recalled.
“It was a pretty cool achievement. I think dad was pretty chuffed when he could say that,” added Fox, who proudly displays the Olympic rings and his yardage book and is only one of four players to have played at every edition of the Olympic Games since golf was brought back into the fold at Rio 2016.
It remains to be seen if he’ll keep that streak alive at the Olympic Games LA 2028, adding yet another chapter to his family’s storied history in international sports aged 41, but his victory at Royal Birkdale will certainly provide a much-needed confidence boost to golf’s proverbial hare.
read more: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/golf-sporting-legacy-speed-key-kiwi-ryan-fox-victory-open-championship
