Ryan Fox claimed his maiden European Tour title yesterday with a comprehensive 3-2 victory over Spain’s Adrian Otaegui in the final of the World Super 6 at Perth’s Lake Karrinyup Country Club.
Under the tournament’s innovative rules, there were three days of stroke play, cutting the field, before the top 24 players qualified for the knockout phase.
The 32-year-old New Zealander finished eight-under after 54 holes to earn a bye into the last 16 of the six-hole knockout stage and was the last man through to the quarter-finals after edging out Thai Jazz Janewattananond.
“I’ve been close a couple of times and it was certainly nice to get one over the line today in a place I hold pretty special,” said Fox, who could have been knocked out in the last 16 had Janewattananond not missed a three-footer.
“There was some scrappy stuff in there, but I got out of trouble when I needed to and I played great today in the final,” he said.
“Adrian didn’t quite play to his best this afternoon, but I’m quite happy to take advantage of that,” he added.
Fox also overcame Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan and Ireland’s Paul Dunne to make the final, in which he raced to a three-up lead against Otaegui and eventually claimed the title when the fourth was halved in pars.
“It’s starting to sink in, but it still feels a bit surreal to be honest,” the affable Fox said after the biggest win of his career.
“It just worked out that I didn’t have any bogeys in the matchplay today, and played great in the final,” he added. “It felt like a home crowd out there for me today.”
Fox’s win, in his 79th European Tour event, followed two close calls at the tournament.
Two years ago he failed to advance to the matchplay portion in a playoff and then 12 months ago missed out by a shot.
His European Tour victory is the first by a New Zealander since Danny Lee won the 2009 Johnnie Walker Classic as an amateur.
“A little bit disappointed after losing the final, but it’s been a good week,” Otaegui said after being denied a third European Tour title.
The Spaniard birdied the 18th hole on Saturday to make the knockout stages and beat Daniel Gale, top seed Per Langfors, home favorite Lee Min-woo and Scott Vincent to reach the final.
“I went from low to up during the week ... I played very good golf the first four games — just nothing went the way I wanted in the end, but I’m still happy,” Otaegui added.
Ireland’s Paul Dunne beat Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe in the extra hole to finish third.
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