Ryan Fox challenging Rory McIlroy for Europe’s top spot
The projected DP World Tour standings at the completion of the opening round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City in South Africa, have New Zealand’s Ryan Fox taking over from Rory McIlroy at the top of the 2022 DP World Tour rankings.
In order for that still to be the case at week’s end, Fox will need to win this event but the manner in which he finished off his opening round of 64 and his great form of late suggest the chances of such a victory are possible perhaps even probable.
The event is the penultimate tournament of the 2022 season with only next week’s DP World Tour Championship to come so if Fox was able to claim the title on Sunday it sets up a mouth-watering prospect ahead of next week’s event in Dubai to see just who emerges as the winner of the season long order of merit.
Fox is looking to become the first ever New Zealander to claim the top standing in Europe in any one season, the previous best being when Michael Campbell finished runner-up to Colin Montgomerie in 2005.
“It feels a bit weird to have done that today (shot 64). Had a lot of good numbers, managed to get the yardages right and I putted really nicely”’ said Fox. “Still feels a bit strange to be honest.
“It’s not quite as intimidating off the tee as I used to find it. There are still some tough tee shots around here but I feel like I’ve got a bit more control over the driver and being able to keep it in play. I’ve played at altitude a bit more and sort of have an idea of how everything plays. I felt a bit easier visually hitting the distances than I have in the past.
“You don’t get it very often (everything going well). You very rarely get it for a week but it was very nice to get it for that back nine. I played OK on the front and from 11 on I didn’t miss a shot. Had a lot of really good numbers, which helps. When you’re in that state you just need to get out of your own way and hit shots. I’ve done that well this year, but did it really well today.
“I couldn’t have wished for a better start. I figure if you can get to double digits under par around here for the most part you’re going to be pretty close come Sunday. To be most of the way there after the first round is pretty nice.”
England’s Luke Donald, a world number one for several weeks back in 2012, is one shot behind Fox after his round of 65. It is exactly nine years since Donald won an event of any kind, that being when successful at the Dunlop Phoenix in Japan in 2013.
That Donald has not recorded one top ten anywhere this season highlights the troubles he has continued to have but this was quite turnaround for the now 44 year old, although he admitted it had been unexpected.
“A little bit unexpected to be honest, I wasn’t showing much form coming into this week. Feeling a bit better about my game.”
Min Woo Lee is the best of the Australians in a share of 4th after his round of 68 but he will need to improve further if he is to make it into the field for the DP World Tour Championship. Lee began the day in 73rd place and has projected to now being 60th but he needs to be inside the top 50 to be on a plane to Dubai.