Ryan Fox the early leader in South Africa

New Zealand’s Ryan Fox carded seven birdies and an eagle for an opening round 64 to take a one-shot lead over Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald in the DP World Tour’s Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa.

Ryan Fox.
Photo: Photosport

Fox, 35, is hoping to become the first New Zealander to be crowned Europe’s number one in the coming weeks having emerged as the closest challenger to Rory McIlroy at the top of the tour rankings.

Fox began the week second on the rankings, having already claimed two victories in a stellar 2022 season.

Victory at Sun City will move him above his rival ahead of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai and the son of former All Black first-five Grant Fox started his week well, with just one dropped shot on the par four third hole, having battled on the course in his three previous visits.

Donald managed a faultless 65, including five birdies on his back nine, while Italian Guido Migliozzi sank three birdies in his last four holes to card a 67 for third place on the leaderboard.

Fox was thrilled with his start in South Africa.

“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.

“This is a hard golf course to keep your foot on the gas. It’s going to come back and bite you at some point.

“The 14th is probably the toughest tee-shot, I just teed it down, hit a little fade. I had a good number to the front of the green with a seven iron, adjusted as we had 180 metres downwind and I can usually get seven iron there.

“I just thought, ‘if I smash seven and get to the front, great’, and I got a little further than that.

“Standing on that tee, you would probably take five for the most part and to make three certainly helps.”

–Reuters/RNZ