PGA Tour goal in reach for Ryan Fox at Valero Texas Open

Ryan Fox will compete in the Texas Open this week in San Antonio. Photo / Getty Images

When Ryan Fox set out on his American road trip, earning special temporary membership on the PGA Tour was among his goals.

It’s something Fox has targeted since stepping up to the tee box at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida earlier this month, and with two top-20 finishes and a top 30 in his three events so far, Fox could have that goal ticked off by Monday.

Fox will head into this week’s Texas Open at TPC San Antonio 42.228 points short of the 175.228-point threshold to qualify for a special temporary membership, and finishing 21st or higher would get him to that mark – not that Fox is keeping track.

“I’ve been tagged in a tweet saying I need something like a top 20 but I haven’t actually checked that,” he said.

“It’s one of those things; the more you focus on it the harder it is to just go out and do what I’ve been doing the last 18 months or so and focus on playing good golf, and all the other good stuff happens with it.

“It’s been a solid start over here the first three events I’ve played and I’ve probably got nine more events, to get that special temporary membership up. I don’t feel under too much pressure at all over the next few weeks, I just have to keep doing what I’m doing. Hopefully I can get that special temporary membership and that changes a few things for the rest of the year.”

While finishing among the top 50 in the world rankings in 2022 has opened doors to PGA Tour events for Fox, as a non-member he is limited to 12 PGA Tour starts in a season and can accept seven sponsor exemptions into tournaments. However, with a special temporary membership, non-tour players are able to accept unlimited sponsor exemptions for the remainder of the season – meaning more opportunities to compete on golf’s biggest tour.

Fox said he hasn’t given any thought to how earning that membership will change his plans for the year around returning to the DP World Tour following his US stint, but said it would be a good problem to have should he be able to clinch that status over the next nine events.

After a breakout year on the DP World Tour in 2022, Fox has continued his fine play this season and has been particularly impressive in his three events in the States so far, given he is playing these courses for the first time.

Reflecting on his performance last week at the WGC Match Play – where he came up just short of getting out of his group but finished in a tie for 17th - he said it was the best he had played tee-to-green in a while.

But although he has been playing some good golf, Fox believes he is yet to put the best of every element of the game together.

“I’ve had patches of it but haven’t managed to put all the game together all year. I’ve had weeks where I haven’t hit it well but have putted great and vice versa; I’ve had weeks where I’ve hit it well and haven’t putted great, which was last week. Hopefully I’m due for putting it all together and turn one of these good results into a really great one.”