New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox, 2025. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Kiwi golfer Ryan Fox concedes coming off the high of a title win may affect his performance at this week's PGA Championship.
Fox had little time to celebrate his first victory on the PGA Tour at the Myrtle Beach Classic in South Carolina on Monday.
The very next day he was driving across the border into North Carolina for this week's second major tournament of the year at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.
The win gave him the last spot in the PGA Championship field.
After playing every major for the last two years Fox was facing missing the second of the year after he failed to get into the Masters field in April.
Ryan Fox during the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte, NC. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
He was "chuffed" to get into the PGA Championship for a seventh time.
"Obviously it's a bonus event, there was only one spot available last week and so pretty happy to get that, Fox told RNZ.
Having not originally qualified for this week's major, it means Fox will play his fifth successive tournament without a break.
Also refocusing straight after a win can be a challenge.
"It's going to be hard obviously, it was such a high last week and now having to try to get up again for a major.
"They're the tournaments you want to be in but it's sometimes hard to climb the mountain again."
Since playing his first major in 2015 (The Open Championship), Fox has played the four feature tournaments 22 times with his best result a tie for 16th at the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
This time he's going into a major off the back of a win.
"I'm obviously playing really well. I've played Quail before and enjoyed it and feel like it's a course that suits me so obviously I'll be trying my best.
"I think the idea is to just get out in my own way and let it happen and kind of have no expectations, try to enjoy myself."
It is a strong field this week with the PGA Championship the only one of the four majors that is exclusively for professional players.
"The PGA has arguably the strongest field of any major, they basically fill it on world rankings."
Fox played the PGA Championship the last time it was at the Quail Hollow Club in 2017. He finished tied for 54th.
American Xander Schauffele is the defending champion and is one of the favourites along with Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy who completed his career grand slam by winning last month's Masters.
