Ryan Fox sets up Dubai showdown with Rory McIlroy
Fox’s win at St Andrews several weeks ago played a key role in a thrilling finish to the season – photo Getty Images
Ryan Fox’s runner-up finish to Tommy Fleetwood at the Nedbank Challenge in Sun City overnight has set up the juicy scenario of a battle royale between the New Zealander and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlory when the two meet again at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai this Thursday.
Fox’s great week in South Africa has him now just 128 points behind the World Number 1 and a win in Dubai would elevate Fox to Europe’s leading ranked player of 2022, irrespective of what McIlroy is able to do himself.
If he was able to do so then Fox would become the first New Zealander to win the European Tour’s Order of Merit, surpassing the effort by Michael Campbell in 2005 when he finished runner-up to Colin Montgomerie that year.
Fox began the final round at Sun City three shots behind Thomas Detry and Rasmus Hogaard but clawed his way into the lead with five birdies before a missed 12 foot par saving putt at the last cost him a playoff.
Fleetwood, however, would win his first event since claiming this same title three years ago with a final round of 67 to hold off Fox.
“I played great, didn’t miss a shot until 18, would have liked to have played 18 better and make Tommy work a bit harder,” said Fox. It’s an incredibly tough golf course to play down the stretch.
“I felt like I hit good shots, gave myself chances. Our whole group played well, all of us were there or thereabouts with three holes to play and Tommy was the one that held it together. Fair play to him.
“Still, really happy, don’t think I’ve finished inside the top 50 in three starts here, so if you had given me second at the start of the week, I would have taken it.
“I could have done a little bit better, but if you had given me second and closing the gap by a decent amount on Rory at the start of the week, I would have taken it. Still got some work to do – he’s the number one player in the world for a reason.”
Fox added another €650,000 to his earnings for what has been a stunning season taking him beyond €3.25 million to date in 2022 with 2 victories, four runner-up finishes and one 3rd place. His career earnings in Europe are now beyond €7.5 million.
India’s Shubankar Sharma finished another shot back and alone in 3rd place after he bogeyed two of his last three holes to open the door for Fleetwood and Fox.
Of the other Australasians in the field, Min Woo Lee finished 8th this week and added another 122,000 to his earnings. Lee will also be in Dubai for the season-ender where the leading 50 points earners on the DP World Tour rankings assemble.
Lucas Herbert finished 25th this week and will miss out on a start in Dubai as he is in 59th place.
This week’s champion Tommy Fleetwood – photo Getty Images
