Ryan Fox is chasing down leader Zach Murray after day 2 at the New Zealand Gold open in Queenstown. Video / NZME
By Joel Kulasingham in Queenstown
Ryan Fox has launched up the leaderboard on the second day of the New Zealand Open – but like everyone else, he will be chasing runaway leader Australian Zach Murray.
After a disappointing round by his standards at Millbrook yesterday, the top-ranked Kiwi burst back into contention with a six-under 66 at The Hills to sit in a five-way tie for third heading into the weekend.
Fox – who looked fresher after struggling with jet-lag all week – said he felt a lot better about the way he played today in tougher conditions.
"I feel a lot happier," he said after his round. "Yesterday was a bit of a scrap whereas today I had a couple of scrappy tee shots but I hit a lot of really good iron shots and it won't take too much to iron out the tee shots. I got a pretty good feel out there.
"I thought it was probably a lot harder today than it was yesterday, maybe the cold yesterday made it hard not being able to feel anything in the hands. But I think it was pretty windy in places out there today and I thought it was a bit tougher."
The 32-year-old rushed out of the blocks with two birdies in a row and started to string a few more in the back nine – with the exception of a hiccup on the 17th where he bogeyed the par 5 after finding the bunker and the rough.
Despite being six back from the lead, Fox felt like he did enough to give himself a shot at winning his first NZ Open title on Sunday.
"[I wanted to] have a chance on the weekend really. And I've given myself that. Obviously Zach's playing some decent golf but I thought it was pretty tough out there this afternoon. To shoot six-under and have a good chance over the weekend, I thought it was pretty good."
Catching Murray, however, may prove difficult if the 21-year-old continues playing the way he has this week.
Zach Murray of Australia plays a fairway shot during day two of the 2019 New Zealand Open at The Hills Golf Club. Photo / Getty
The rookie pro carried on where he left off, rocketing out to an eagle-birdie start on his way to a seven-under 65 at The Hills to sit at 15-under for the tournament.
After appearing cool and relaxed on day one, Murray admitted there were some nerves from being the leader today.
"Probably today was even better than yesterday with more pressure because I was leading and I was pretty nervous on the first tee," he said after his round. "Obviously I got off to a good start with eagle-birdie which settled the nerves and helped a lot.
"The key today was set up by the start to be four-under after six. I just had to play smart golf from there and keep giving myself chances on the back nine."
Despite taking a five-shot lead over Japanese Ryuko Tokimatsu into the weekend, Murray isn't getting too carried away just yet, but hopes his form carries through.
"You can dare to dream about [winning this event] but it does not help the cause too much. Obviously you don't know what is at the end of the four days but I am playing well."
The other big mover of the day was former NZ Open champion Brad Kennedy who shot a bogey-free eight-under 63 at Millbrook, matching his fellow countryman Murray's effort on day one to join Fox and four others in third.
The 44-year-old has enjoyed plenty of success here in New Zealand – having won the event in 2011, losing a three-way playoff in 2017, and took out the NZPGA Championship in 2016 – and will hope that will continue in a place he says is "very much like home".
"If I am three of four shots off the lead after today, then I am happy where I have got myself back to," said Kennedy who only went one-under on Thursday.
"Two more days around here at The Hills I can't wait."
Leaderboard after day two
Zach Murray -15 Ryuko Tokimatsu -10 Kodai Ichihara -9 Brad Kennedy -9 Dimitrios Papadatos -9 Harry Bateman -9 Ryan Fox -9
What: 100th NZ Open Where: The Hills and Millbrook courses in Arrowtown How to watch: Live on Sky TV Channel 52 (Saturday) and Channel 54 (Sunday) from 2-6pm with commentary by Greg Turner and Phil Tataurangi
