Racing
League
Rugby
Football
Cricket
Golf
Sport Nation
Olympics
Motorsport
Netball
Combat Sports
Basketball
Other Sports
'My brain works fast': How Kiwi Fox raced to Open glory
Press Association • July 21st, 2026 7:35 am
Ryan Fox | Photo: AP
New Open champion Ryan Fox credited a "fast brain" for his success after amazing everyone with the speed with which he closed out his first major.
The New Zealander has always had a reputation for pacy play but there were just 22 seconds between playing partner Sam Burns' putt dropping and the 39-year-old holing a 11-foot birdie.
Considering the magnitude of the putt, the watching crowd, used to professionals weighing up the line and slope from numerous angles, could scarcely believe how little fuss he made.
Ryan Fox needed just 22 seconds after Sam Burns' putt to win The Open.
"I was always that way as a kid. I see things fast," said Fox, son of All Blacks great Grant, who was pictured on social media loading the case containing the Claret Jug into the overhead locker of the 6.55am British Airways flight from Manchester to Heathrow on Tuesday (NZ time).
Ryan Fox on the craziness of becoming the Champion Golfer of the Year | Sport Nation
"I played almost every sport growing up. Everything just happened fast. I was never methodical at anything, to be honest, and it just carried over into golf.
"I would say just my brain works fast. It's just always how I've seen it on the golf course.
"I need to make sure this comes across right (but) it's not that difficult to pick a shot and pick a club. I get in there and it all happens quick.
"It's always going to be between one or two clubs into a green and I just see the shot quickly, pick a shot quickly, and the less time I have to think about it, the less bad stuff can creep in there.
"If you tried to slow me down and make me do everything slowly, I think I'd be pretty useless to be honest."
Speed of play remains a huge problem in the professional game, especially at majors, but surprisingly Fox streamlined his process with his caddie Dean Smith even more at Birkdale.
"We actually had less discussion on clubs so I could own it a little bit more. He probably was getting a few earfuls from me being in between clubs and taking it out on him," Fox added.
"Talking with my sports psych Karl Morris, who was here earlier in the week, we chatted about (how) I'm better when I create a shot.
"Creating a shot is almost getting the data off Dean and then I make the decision on kind of everything else. Then I verbalise what I'm going to do to him."
Ryan Fox's approach to the 18th hole to win The 154th Open | Sport Nation
