Chubby Chandler: Fantastic From Ryan Fox
Article posted: 19 July 2015
Whatever happens now, the 144th Open will always be indelibly etched in Ryan Fox's mind and, for me, it will be the occasion when he announced his arrival on the big stage.
I can't speak highly enough about Ryan Fox's major championship debut.
The smiling Kiwi was facing Open disappointment outside the cut line and with the intimidating closing stretch at St Andrews still to negotiate.
But an eagle followed by two birdies rocketed Ryan into 25th place at the halfway stage of the year's third grand slam title.
It was near darkness when Ryan made his way up the 18th to rapturous applause not just from family and friends, but a whole host of others who had waited for the last group.
Whatever happens now, the 144th Open will always be indelibly etched in his mind and for me it will be the occasion when he announced his arrival on the big stage.
Ryan is long and an indication can be seen from how he played the 17th, the Old Course's toughest hole.
While some were unable to reach with a drive and three wood, Ryan needed no more than a 9 iron for his approach.
Now that's seriously long.
Another of our Southern Hemisphere clients, Louis Oosthuizen, stayed on track for a repeat of his 2010 success here by climbing into joint fourth while Danny Willett is hoping to make history not just as the first Yorkshireman to get his hands on the silver claret, but the first champion not to have hit a shot on the third day.
It doesn't look like the weather is going to turn out anything near favourable again, but the wind has died and hopefully there will be no more delays.
This week, that really is something to hope for.
