New Zealand’s Ryan Fox claimed his first major championship title on Sunday at Royal Birkdale, surging past 54-hole leader Sam Burns with a brilliant final round to capture The Open Championship at 10-under par, one stroke clear of Cameron Young.
Fox, 36, closed with a 2-under 68, highlighted by four birdies in his final six holes and a clutch 12-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole that sealed his one-shot victory. The win marks a historic milestone: Fox becomes only the third New Zealander to claim a major title and the oldest first-time major champion in a decade.
According to reports from PGA Tour coverage, Burns’ 54-hole lead couldn’t hold Sunday as he carded a 1-under 69, slipping to a tie for second at 9-under. Cameron Young, the 36-hole leader at Royal Birkdale, finished 9-under after a final round 70. Despite the disappointment, Burns had engineered one of the week’s most remarkable comebacks—he almost wasn’t at Royal Birkdale at all. With his wife expecting their second child this week, Burns arrived at the championship only after their daughter was born three days before the tournament began, giving him an unexpected opportunity to pursue another major.
The Golden Finish
Fox’s closing stretch proved decisive. After standing one shot behind Burns entering Sunday, the Kiwi applied relentless pressure with a series of tactical birdies that never allowed Burns to pull away. The dramatic final hole—a monster par-4—saw Fox’s long iron strike near the pin, setting up his winning putt. Behind him, the pursuing pack, including Scottie Scheffler (the defending champion at 6-under), couldn’t find the magic required to threaten the leader.
Fox’s victory places him in exclusive company: Bob Charles (1963) and Michael Campbell (2005) are the only other New Zealand-born men to win a major championship. At 36, he becomes the oldest first-time major champion since Henrik Stenson claimed the Open at Royal Troon in 2016 at age 40—a title many thought had passed Fox by in his celebrated career. The prize purse of $3.2 million represents the largest of Fox’s career, adding financial validation to his long-awaited breakthrough.
A Career-Defining Moment
The significance of this victory extends beyond Royal Birkdale’s scorecards. Throughout his 20-year professional career, Fox has been a model of consistency—steady earnings, regular wins on the DP World Tour, solid performances in majors. Yet the ultimate prize had eluded him until now. After years of near-misses and strong showings in the sport’s biggest stages, Fox answered Sunday’s call with composure and precision when it mattered most.
For the sport of golf globally, Fox’s success resonates as a reminder that major championship excellence isn’t the exclusive domain of the game’s youngest stars. Patience, experience, and unwavering confidence—the qualities that define Fox’s playing style—proved sufficient to navigate Royal Birkdale’s treacherous challenges and claim the Claret Jug.
