Ryan Fox pulls off RBC Canadian Open feat last seen in 1968

Ryan Fox became a two-time winner on the PGA Tour this year when he delivered a dramatic three-wood shot on the fourth playoff hole to gain a victory in the RBC Canadian Open. The triumph was Fox’s second in five weeks as he edged Sam Burns for the title.

The native New Zealander joined countryman Sir Bob Charles as the only golfers from New Zealand to win the Canadian Open. The left-handed Charles picked up a victory in the tournament in 1968.

Fox had been victorious in the Myrtle Beach Classic in May by chipping in for a birdie to win a three-man playoff.

He nailed a memorable fairway shot to within seven feet on the fourth playoff hole of the Canadian Open. While Fox had laser focus with his shot, Burns was not able to come close to that kind of accuracy. His approach shot finished 55 feet away from the pin.

Fox missed his eagle putt, but had a tap-in left for his birdie. Burns ran his putt 8 feet past the hole and he was not able to make his ensuing putt.

Fox explained that neither player did much in the playoff until the decisive hole.  “To be honest, Sam and I had a bit of a pillow fight for three holes,” Fox said, per the Associated Press. “But that shot I hit on 18, that 3-wood, was probably the best shot I’ve ever hit. It would have been nice to make the putt. But hey, I’ll take it.”

Fox sends Canadian Open to a playoff with birdie on 18th hole

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Burns had played brilliantly in the final round and his 72-hole total saw him reach 18 under par as he fired a closing 62. He had to wait nearly two hours for Fox to finish his round, and the pressure was on as he reached the green on the closing par-5 18th.

Fox needed a birdie to join Burns, and he nailed an 18-foot putt to send the tournament to a playoff. The second-place finisher had a chance to win the tournament on the first extra hole. He had a five-foot putt for a birdie, but the putt slid off to the right.

Neither player was able to take advantage of any birdie opportunities that followed until Fox secured the triumph.

Kevin Yu of Taiwan finished third as he fired a closing 66 for a four-round total of 263. By finishing third, Yu qualified for the British Open, which will be played next month.

Steve Silverman has been covering the NFL for more than 35 years, and his writing has appeared in ESPN Magazine, Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, Pro Football Weekly, and Forbes.com. He has written 10 books, including “Who’s Better, Who’s Best in the NFL.”