New Zealand’s Ryan Fox completed a furious comeback Sunday by prevailing in a three-man playoff at the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic in South Carolina to win his first PGA Tour event.
“I always felt like my game was good enough to compete with the best in the world, and I got to show it a bit today,” Fox said. “To get that win is extra special.”
Fox fired a 5-under-par 66 on the day to finish at 15-under 269 at Dunes Golf and Beach Club, forcing a three-way tie with Canada’s Mackenzie Hughes and Harry Higgs.
In the playoff, the 38-year-old chipped in from the edge of the green on No. 18 to secure a birdie, knock Hughes and Higgs out of contention and earn a spot in this week’s PGA Championship in Charlotte.
“It changes the plans a little bit,” he said. “I might have a little bit of a hangover tomorrow.”
Fox had never finished in the top three on the PGA Tour — three top-10 finishes served as his career highlights — and he credited his ability to focus through his nerves and stick to his process.
“I know that’s really cliche, but it’s cliche for a reason. It works,” Fox said. “Go up, focus on just trying to hit the shot I’m going to hit and see what happens from there.”
Fox began the day three strokes behind leader Carson Young. When he reached the 17th tee, he trailed Hughes by two shots. He registered a birdie at 17 to pull even with Higgs and get within one shot of Hughes.
That birdie came after birdies on Holes 3, 10, 13 and 15 as Fox registered no bogeys on the day.
On the par-4 No. 18, with the tournament on the line, Hughes suffered a bogey to set the stage for the playoff. The defeat on the first extra hole was Hughes’ first PGA Tour playoff loss. Both of his Tour wins — the 2016 RSM Classic and 2022 Sanderson Farms Championship — had come in playoffs.
Hughes finished with six birdies and two bogeys in shooting a 4-under 67. Higgs started strong with three birdies over his first four holes, but he was even-par the rest of the way with two more birdies and two bogeys to finish 3 under.
“Yeah, I’ve got nothing to hang my head on here,” Higgs said. “I proved a lot to myself really today and the last couple of days, especially playing in the rain.”
Kevin Yu of Chinese Taipei finished a stroke off the pace at 14 under after his 6-under 65. Alex Smalley tied for fifth with Denmark’s Niklas Norgaard at 13 under.
Young dropped into a tie for 13th after shooting a 2-over 73.
–Field Level Media
