Golf: Fox runs away with WA title

Ryan Fox is ecstatic to have won for the first time on the PGA Tour of Australasia. Photo / PGA Tour of Australasia

Auckland professional Ryan Fox has claimed his first win on the PGA Tour of Australasia in emphatic style.

The 27-year-old, who began the final round in a share of the lead with South Australian pro Paul Spargo on 18-under par, was in a class of his own Sunday at the Cottesloe Golf Club in Perth as he recorded a six shot victory from Western Australian Stephen Dartnall (69).

Fox, who last week advanced to the second stage of qualifying for the Web.Com Tour, continued his red hot form when he carded a five-under par 67 in the final round for a breakaway win.

He finished on an incredible 23-under par total, which was two shots short of the tournament low scoring record after Kim Felton won on a 25-under par at the West Australian Golf Club in 2001.

The Royal Auckland golfer signed for scores of 64, 66, 68 and 67 to complete an impressive week.

Fox showed no signs of nerves on Sunday as he came out firing with five birdies and a bogey in his opening nine holes to make the turn in four-under par 32.

At the same time, Spargo, Fox's main rival and playing partner, was faltering as he was two-over par at the turn.

The New Zealand pro kept on pushing as he made further birdies on 10 and 14 to put the title beyond doubt. Fox showed his confidence on the short par four 15th hole when he pulled driver out of the bag and drove the green to the delight of the gallery. He bogeyed his final hole but it didn't matter as he completed a special week.

The 2014 Muriwai Open Champion won AU$16,500 ($18,200), earned official world golf rankings points and moved into fifth place on the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit. The winner of the OOM earns a place in The Open Championship in 2015 at St Andrews.

The former New Zealand Stroke Play Champion, who is a two-time winner of the Fiji Open, now has full playing rights on the PGA Tour of Australasia for the rest of the 2014 season and for the next two years.

Before his victory, Fox's best result on the PGA Tour of Australasia was a tie for fifth at the Australian Masters last year in world-class company.

Fox's win sees him follow in the footsteps of Bay of Plenty professional Josh Geary who won the title by five strokes last year at the Mount Lawley Golf Club.

Meanwhile Waikato pro Mathew Perry, a former NZ team-mate of Fox, finished in a share of sixth place when he carded a five-under par 67. It was also his best result on the PGA Tour of Australasia.

But yesterday and all of the week was all about Fox.

The big-hitting pro will now turn his attention to securing his card on the Web.Com Tour and winning a Tier One PGA Tour of Australasian event this summer.

The second stage for the former is on in November with Fox hoping to follow the lead of fellow Kiwis who have used the Web.Com Tour to get on the PGA Tour.