New Zealand Open: Fox to be conservative at The Hills

MEDIA RELEASE

Tuesday February 25, 2014

New Zealand Open: Fox to be conservative at The Hills 

New Zealand’s rising professional Ryan Fox will be one of the nation’s main hopes to take out the New Zealand Open this week in Queenstown.

Since turning professional in 2012, on the back of a glittering amateur career, Fox has made an impression on the PGA Tour of Australasia with six top-10 finishes.

The 27-year-old has also become renowned for his prodigious length off the tee, a talent which he believes will be beneficial at Millbrook Resort which co-hosts the tournament for the first time.

“I played the new nine at Millbrook for the first time today,” said Fox, who will have his Dad, former All Black Grant, as his caddy.

“There is definitely some advantage to hitting it longer there.”

However he believes this advantage may be mitigated on The Hills layout.

“Being long off the tee isn’t a big advantage at The Hills. It’s definitely a placement golf course and in previous years I haven’t hit driver too often so that’s probably not going to change too much this year.

“Everyone can get into a similar place off the tee regardless of what club you have to use. It’s all about approach shots here.”

“You have to be quite precise into the greens, I guess it suits me that from those places I can hit one less club and stop the ball a little bit quicker.”  

Fox has enjoyed good success at The Hills in previous years – most notably when he finished fourth in the New Zealand PGA Championship in 2012.

He comes into the New Zealand Open in excellent form having finished runner-up to Anthony Summers at the Queensland PGA Championship two weeks ago.

It was his best finish on the PGA Tour of Australasia to date beating his tie for fifth at the Australian Masters in 2013 in world-class company.

“I had a much better start this year, than last. I played really well in Toowoomba but just got beaten by Anthony Summers who played fantastic golf for the week,” added Fox.

“I’m hitting the ball nicely and looking forward to this week.”                                                

ENDS

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