Ryan Fox – reaches an all time high in DP World Tour and World rankings – photo Getty Images
For the second week in succession New Zealand golfers have performed with distinction on their respective professional tours.
Last week, Daniel Hillier won his second event on the European Challenge Tour and Steve Alker finished in a share of the runner-up position in a PGA Tour Champions event in the US and, this week, the roll continued with Ryan Fox winning his third European Tour event, Lydia Ko finishing third in an LPGA Tour event and Hillier again performing well when finishing 4th in another Challenge Tour event.
Fox, continuing his liking for and fine performances on some of Britain’s best links layouts, followed up his Saturday 65 with a final round of 68 at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews to win by one over Callum Shinkwin and Alex Noren, with Rory McIlroy another shot back in a share of 4th place with Antoine Rozner.
Fox’s win and the accompanying €800,000 ($NZ1.4 million) will see him move to third place in DP World Tour rankings and from 47th to a projected all time high of 25th in the World Rankings.
Fox began the year outside the top 200 in the world so his jump in the rankings is one of the biggest in the game and his current position guarantees him a debut at the Masters in 2023.
That the win followed three missed cuts and a withdrawal in his last five starts, further reflects the significance of the win and is just reward for a season that has not only seen him win earlier in the year but one where he has also suffered some frustrating near misses with three runner-up finishes.
“Yeah, very satisfying,” said Fox when asked about finally getting across the line again. “A couple of really good chances and didn’t get the job done, and had a couple — which can’t do anything about. I felt like for the most part, I controlled everything really well today. Last three holes, relatively easy par off the last, yeah, I can’t put words on everything at the moment to be honest.”
As to the likelihood of a start at the Masters in April, Fox was excited by the prospect of making his debut in the one major he has yet to play.
“I certainly hope that’s the case. Tim (Barter) mentioned it as I walked off the 18th green, and that’s sort of one major I haven’t ticked off yet so that would be pretty cool to get that in the mail. Obviously I would love to keep playing how I’m playing at the end of the year.
“When I started the year, I think I was well outside of 200 in the world, so to even be talking about going to the Masters is pretty incredible. I have a couple of mates I made a bet with a long time ago that I would take them there, so I’ll be expecting a few texts later on tonight when they wake up.”
Lydia Ko in action this week – photo Getty Images
Lydia Ko finished third in the LPGA Tour’s Ascendant LPGA event in Texas, her 10th top five finish of the year.
Ko’s final round of 65 saw her fall just two short of the winner Charley Hull but she has moved to the top of the Race to the Globe Rankings as a result of the consistency of her performances.
Ko also leads the stroke averages on the LPGA Tour and while some way behind Minjee Lee on the money list, her consistency has proven to be her greatest asset in 2022. Lee’s win at the lucrative US Women’s Open has been the catalyst for the West Australian’s huge lead in money earnings in 2022.
Daniel Hillier’s 4th place finish in a European Challenge Tour event in France might not have carried the profile and glamour of the efforts by Fox and Ko but in many respects his efforts was perhaps even more important for the Wellingtonian as it has now assured him a place on the DP World Tour next season.
Hillier entered the week in 13th place in the Road to Mallorca rankings following his win last week and with the leading twenty players at season’s end earning the right to play at the higher level next season he needed another solid finish to consolidate his standing.
Hillier has now moved to 7th in the Road to Mallorca rankings and with just three events remaining he is a lock to advance.
Hillier shared the halfway lead this week and while unable to convert that into another win he will be delighted what his finish has brought him in terms of his future.
Daniel Hillier – photo Getty Images
SCORES – ASCENDANT LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP
SCORES – EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR EVENT
