[Winners Club] The Open Champion Fox Seals Victory with Rapid-Fire Putting

by Roh Woolae

Published 21 Jul.2026 01:01(KST)

Sinks 3.5m Birdie on 18th Hole to Win the Title
Just 22 Seconds from Reading the Line to Address
Equipped with the Highly Forgiving Ping Anser 2D Putter

Ryan Fox (New Zealand) is known for his fast pace of play. He does not hesitate on the green and trusts himself completely. With this unwavering rapid-fire routine, Fox secured the Claret Jug at The Open, the season's final major championship.

On July 20 (Korean time), he delivered another confident performance on the last 18th hole (par 4) of the 4th round at the 154th Open Championship (total prize money: 17.75 million dollars), held at Royal Birkdale Golf Club (par 70, 7,223 yards) in Southport, England. Tied with Cameron Young (USA), who had already finished his round, Fox created a birdie opportunity with a precise iron shot from about 3.6 meters.

Ryan Fox is smiling brightly holding the Claret Jug right after winning The Open. Southport=UPI Yonhap News Agency

Fox was fearless on the green. While most players, just before a decisive putt, take more than 40 seconds to read the line two or three times, pacing back and forth, Fox was different this day. He spent only 22 seconds reading the line and addressing the ball, then calmly sank his precious birdie, becoming a major champion for the first time in his career.

Fox’s performance on the green stood out exceptionally in this tournament. He played with a Ping Anser 2D putter, a model known for its high moment of inertia (MOI), soft impact feel, and stable distance control. Carrying the Ping Anser 2D, he has now achieved three career wins on the PGA Tour. He claimed 3.2 million dollars in prize money (approximately 4.7 billion won) for this victory.

Ryan Fox cheers after making the winning birdie on the 18th hole of the 4th round at The Open. Southport=Photo by Reuters

In the official press conference after his victory, Fox said with a bright smile, "I was a rookie on the DP World Tour at 30, a rookie on the PGA Tour at 37, and now, at 39, I have become a major champion." Speaking about his short routine, he commented, "The less time I have to think, the less room there is for negative thoughts. I putted the way I wanted and got a great result."