DP World Tour: Ryan Fox looking to improve claim for top PGA Tour card at Nedbank Golf Challenge

Ryan Fox will look to replicate the form that saw him finish second in the Nedbank Golf Challenge in 2022. Photo / AP

Ryan Fox has had a year to remember, but there’s one more goal he wants to achieve.

The world No 27 golfer has ticked off plenty of career milestones this year from playing in the Masters to earning special temporary membership for the PGA Tour and winning one of the DP World Tour’s biggest tournaments.

But over the next two weeks, Fox is chasing Adrian Meronk in a bid to finish his year at the top.

Heading into this week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City in South Africa, Poland’s Meronk sits one spot above Fox in the DP World Tour rankings – just 1.8 points ahead of his Kiwi counterpart.

The pair currently sit third and fourth in the standings, but with leaders Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm already with PGA Tour cards for 2024, Fox is hoping to be the highest-ranked golfer eligible for qualification through the DP World Tour.

The top 10 golfers on the DP World Tour at the end of the season who don’t already have a PGA Tour card for 2024 earn one, however there is an incentive to earn one as the highest-ranked player.

The top finisher who is not already exempt on the PGA Tour will be fully exempt for the following Tour season, similar to players who finish in the top 125 in the FedEx Cup, while also earning entry into the Players Championship.

The other nine players will earn cards but will join the Tour ranked lower on the PGA Tour priority list, meaning they are more likely to miss out if an event has too many entries.

“There are some nice bonuses or some nice extra events next year for getting that card, so that’s the main focus for the next couple of weeks,” Fox told the Herald.

“I’ve just got to keep doing what I’ve been doing over these past couple of months while I’ve been back in Europe. This is a tough golf course this week, there’s a lot of trouble, it’s pretty narrow, we’re at altitude, the wind swirls and it’s going to be really hot. There’s a lot to try and figure out this week on the golf course.”

Meronk overtook Fox on the season standings by winning the Andalucía Masters in late October. Fox, who was solid tee to green but had some struggles with his putting, finished in a tie for 52nd. Fellow Kiwi Daniel Hillier finished in a tie for 19th and now sits 27th in the standings.

Fox heads into the Nedbank Challenge after finishing the tournament in second place in 2022, just one shot behind winner Tommy Fleetwood (-11).

Reflecting on last year’s event, Fox said he learned how best to approach the tough course after having a best finish of 50th in three previous attempts.

“It’s a week to pick your moments to go aggressively. I did that really well last year but it’s something I hadn’t done previously around here before. That little change of mindset and picking your times to take the golf course on certainly made a difference,” Fox said.

“The main goal for this week is try to stay out of trouble and kind of play the opposite of my natural game; not play too aggressive and just try to be there or thereabouts come Sunday.

“You can shoot a score around here if you do get it going – Tommy Fleetwood has done that a couple of times winning around here – so that’s the goal for the week; stay out of trouble for the most part then see if I can put a low one together over the weekend.”

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.