Golf: Fox qualifies for Open Championship

Ryan Fox of New Zealand. Photo / Jason Oxenham.

Auckland's Ryan Fox has qualified for The Open Championship at the Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland following a two-round qualifying event at the Gailes Links course in Ayrshire today.

The world No 208 needed to finish inside the top three of the 72-strong field and rounds of 69 and 71 left him in a tie for second at two-under, two strokes back from winner Mark Young.

Fox and amateur Paul Kinnear then edged Welshman Rhys Davies in a playoff to secure their spots at the event, which ensures a Kiwi presence at the historical tournament that begins on Thursday, July 16.

Just qualified for the @TheOpen at St Andrews! So pumped #homeofgolf #firstmajor

— Ryan Fox (@ryanfoxgolfer) June 30, 2015

"This is massive. My first major at the Home of Golf - it doesn't get any better," Fox said.
The result capped a nice stretch for Fox, who has registered two top-10 finishes on the second-tier Challenge Tour in Europe recently.

He claimed a share of 10th at the Scottish Hydro Challenge on Monday, which netted him $8199, while he finished in a tie for fifth at the Najeti Open in France last week in his first event on the tour this season. Fox has made an immediate impact to be 37th on the money list through just two events.

The top-15 money winners at the end of the year earn automatic promotion to the European Tour while the top-45 retain playing privileges for the Challenge Tour.

Fox will play in the Aegean Airlines Challenge in Germany this week.