Ryan Fox is the Champion Golfer of the Year after closing with a birdie on the 72nd hole to win the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. The New Zealander finished at 10 under, one shot clear of Cameron Young, to claim the first major championship of his career at age 39.
Fox’s victory was also a notable moment for New Zealand golf history, as it marked just the third time a Kiwi has won the Claret Jug. He sealed it with an 11-foot-7-inch birdie putt on the 18th, turning a tense final-round back nine into a defining finish.
How Fox edged Young in a final-round thriller
The final round built toward a late duel, with Young setting the early clubhouse target. Young posted a 6-under 64—described as the low score of the day at Royal Birkdale—and reached 9 under with more than two hours to wait as the final groups finished behind him. His closing stretch included a moment of frustration, as a bogey on the 18th hole kept him from getting to 10 under and left the door open.
Fox, meanwhile, navigated a shifting leaderboard that included Sam Burns and Si Woo Kim in the mix. Early in the day, Burns held a two-shot lead over Fox, Kim and Young, with the live updates noting that both Burns and Fox had shot 62 earlier in the week. As the round developed, the lead compressed into a multi-player battle at the top.
Kim made a push of his own, taking the solo lead at 10 under with a birdie on the par-4 sixth. At that point, Young, Burns and Fox were a shot back, and the tension only increased as the contenders traded momentum. Burns’ advantage began to shrink after a front-nine bogey, and the leaderboard tightened into a four-way tie at one stage, with Kim and Fox still playing their front nines and Young nearing the finish.
Young surged with a front-nine 29 and continued to apply pressure, rolling in birdies that moved him into the co-lead at 10 under at one point before his late slip on 18. With Young in the clubhouse at 9 under, the focus shifted to Fox’s closing holes.
Fox’s back nine featured a key swing in the final stretch. He bogeyed the 15th to lose the lead, but responded immediately with a birdie at the 16th to reclaim a share of the lead with Young at 9 under. The live blog described it as an “amazing bounce-back,” and it set up a dramatic finish with Fox still tied heading to the closing hole.
On the 18th, Fox delivered the moment that defined the championship. Needing birdie to win, he converted the 11-foot-7-inch putt to post 10 under and take the Claret Jug outright. The update feed captured the significance in real time: “RYAN FOX WINS THE OPEN WITH BIRDIE ON THE 72ND HOLE!”
Final leaderboard notes from Royal Birkdale
Fox finished one shot ahead of Young, who ended at 9 under after his early clubhouse round. Overnight leader Sam Burns shot a 2-over 72 on Sunday to finish two back in solo third. Scottie Scheffler (67) and Tommy Fleetwood (68) tied for fourth.
Fleetwood’s finish was highlighted as a special week for the Southport native, who ended at 7 under in a tie for fourth. Scheffler also finished at 7 under after a final-round 67, with the live updates noting his late-round push and a closing bogey that ended his chances of catching the leaders.
Why Fox’s Open triumph matters
Fox’s win combined a steady week with a clutch finish, capped by a final-hole birdie to secure his first major. He also posted 62-68 over the weekend to reach 10 under and win by one, turning a tight, shifting final-round leaderboard into a career-defining result.
Beyond the margin, the historical note stood out: Fox’s victory marked just the third time a New Zealander has won The Open Championship, adding another chapter to the tournament’s long history at the 154th edition.
