Montreal (AFP) – New Zealand’s Ryan Fox birdied the fourth playoff hole to defeat American Sam Burns on Sunday and win the US PGA Tour’s Canadian Open for his second triumph in five weeks. The 38-year-old Kiwi hit a 3-wood from the fairway to eight feet and two-putted for victory when Burns lipped out an 11-foot birdie putt on their fifth playing of the par-five 18th, counting their regulation birdies in Sunday’s final round.
“Probably the greatest shot I’ve ever hit considering the circumstances,” Fox said of his second shot on the last extra hole. “To be honest, Sam and I had a bit of a pillow fight there for three holes. It was some average golf from both of us, some average putting. But that shot I hit on 18, that 3-wood, was probably the best shot I’ve ever hit. Would have been nice to make it but hey I’ll take it.”
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Fox became the first New Zealand golfer to win two PGA Tour titles in one year after taking his first at last month’s Myrtle Beach Classic. Taiwan’s Kevin Yu was third on 263 with Americans Cameron Young and Matt McCarty sharing fourth on 264. Burns and Fox each finished 72 holes on 18-under par 262 at TPC Toronto Osprey Valley. Burns fired an eight-under 62, his second-lowest career round, while Fox shot a 66, his closing birdie from just inside 17 feet forcing the playoff.
“It was tough,” Fox said. “I hit some great shots down the stretch in regulation. Probably got a little lucky on that putt on 18 in regulation. That snuck in the left door.” Both Fox and Burns laid up and made routine pars in the first three holes of the playoff, Burns missing a six-foot putt for the win on the first extra hole. In a pre-planned move, officials changed the hole location before the third extra hole and still they were tied. The drama went to the fourth playoff hole when Fox blasted his second shot on the green to eight feet.
“I had 230 meters, 255 yards, and into the wind it was a cut 3-wood. In the air, I thought I hit it stone dead or in the water. Judged by the crowd it was a really good shot.” Burns was 28 feet from the hole with his second, missed the eagle putt then lipped out on an 11-foot birdie putt while Fox missed but then tapped in for the victory. “Took a lot of patience in regulation. Didn’t play great the first 12 holes. Just hung in there. Made a couple of great putts coming down the stretch, a lot of really good shots,” Fox said.
– A lot of ‘Go Foxy’ – The victory gets Fox into next week’s US Open. “Probably get my butt kicked next week,” he said. “But it’ll be worth it.” The triumph came with the New Zealand football team watching after a match the night before in Toronto. “That was awesome,” Fox said. “It was great to get them in. A lot of ‘Go Foxy’ and Kiwi accents out there so that was great.”
Burns opened his final round with back-to-back birdies and began his back nine with five birdies before closing his round with a birdie. “I would definitely say that was probably the best nine I played all week. It was nice to see some go in and hit some close shots,” said 33rd-ranked Burns. Young, Yu and South Korean Ben An all challenged Burns at 18 but couldn’t match him. Fox made the final charge with a 20-foot birdie putt at 14, a tap-in at 15 and his last from just inside 17 feet at 18.
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