Fresh off the back of a career-best year on the PGA Tour, Ryan Fox has set his sights on becoming the first New Zealand golfer to win the Australian Open in the tournament’s 121-year history.
Fox has the sporting pedigree to break the hoodoo, with his father Grant a pivotal member of the 1987 World Cup-winning All Blacks, who inflicted plenty of pain on the Wallabies and their fans.
The Open title drought is surprising given the status of 1963 British Open champion Sir Bob Charles, although he was up against golf luminaries including Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Peter Thomas and Arnold Palmer who all lifted the Stonehaven Cup.
Another Kiwi, Michael Campbell, who won the 2005 US Open, won multiple events in Australia but never the Open.
Fox, who is ranked world No.41 after two PGA Tour victories this year, said he was surprised no Kiwi had triumphed.
“There’s been some really, really good Kiwi golfers through the years but I know what Australians are like on home soil, they’re pretty tough to beat,” the 38-year-old said.
“It’s always been a major for the Aussie guys and it seems like they all turn up to play and they’ve got a great record here and there’s been some great foreign players come and win as well, so it’d be nice to get a Kiwi on board.”
Fox posted a six-under 65 in gusting wind and searing heat to share the first-round lead but was unable to capitalise on benign conditions on Friday morning at Royal Melbourne and carded an even round.
“After yesterday it was always going to be hard to back up a round like that,” Fox said.
“Obviously it’s a lot easier today but I just felt like I had one of those days where I was always in between clubs and that’s not great out here.
“They had the pins a little tougher today than they did yesterday and just felt like I couldn’t get close to the hole and I didn’ t putt as well as yesterday.
“It was overall not a bad day, but just felt like I left a few out there.”
Compatriot Daniel Hillier was also three off the early pace at six under after his three-under second round.
Hillier, who missed a PGA Tour card by one spot through the European Tour this year, said he felt flat for much of his round before finishing with four birdies in five holes.
The 27-year-old also hoped to make New Zealand history.
“There’s a lot of pretty awesome competition out there, so yeah, it’s tough one to win, so it would be nice to have a good weekend this week and give it a shot,” Hillier said.
