Ryan Fox, winner of the BMW PGA Championship 2023, Wentworth, England. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox shed a tear as he completed an emotional victory at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in England.
Fox suffered a triple bogey seven at the third hole of the final round, but hit eight birdies for a round of 67 to finish one shot ahead on 18 under.
Fox began the day three shots adrift and when he dropped shots at the third he looked out of contention.
But he regained ground with a couple of birdies and then came home in 31 to finish on 18 under and edge out England's home favourites Tyrrell Hatton and Aaron Rai.
Fox had never managed a top-10 finish at the Wentworth event but arrived in good form after a finishing tied third at last week's Horizon Irish Open.
He is the first New Zealander to win the tournament.
"I'm immensely proud," he said. "It's such an iconic tournament. I know Michael Campbell has won around here when it was the match play event and to add to that history here and create some of my own is very special."
Ryan Fox celebrates winning the BMW PGA Championship 2023, Wentworth, England. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Fox has contended with illness and injuries this year and also experienced the highs and lows of family life.
"I've got an almost three-year-old and a four-month-old standing over there and to have them here to support with a place pretty close by where we can stay at home this week just made the week.
"We have been through a pretty tough year as a family. We lost my father-in-law in June after a really, really short battle with cancer and that kind of rocked the family. It's been tough going back and forth.
"To come over here and have a good week in Ireland last week and this, I don't think I could have wished for better."
He added: "To have a back nine like that, especially after how I started the day, it's amazing. I played great. Pretty much didn't miss a shot from the third hole onwards and saw a couple of putts go in and it was a pretty cool feeling on the last to sort of know I had one to win and actually make it."
Fox has played a large part of this year on the US PGA Tour, but today's win moves him up to third in the World Tour (European) rankings.
The 36 year old will now set his sights of the World Tour Championship in Dubai in November.