Ryan Fox claims 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale
New Zealand’s 39‑year‑old Ryan Fox captured his first major title at the 154th Open Championship, held at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. Fox finished one shot ahead of American Cameron Young, sealing the victory with a 12‑foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to post a 10‑under‑par 270 total. After starting the tournament tied for 85th after round 1 and tied for 52nd after round 2, he recorded a record‑tying 62 on Saturday, launching the largest 36‑hole comeback in men’s major history. The win earned Fox a $3.2 million prize and the Claret Jug, which he famously stowed in the overhead bin of his flight home. The triumph adds Fox to New Zealand’s elite list of major‑winning golfers, joining Sir Bob Charles, Michael Campbell and Lydia Ko, and highlights his family’s sporting pedigree – his father Grant Fox is an All Blacks rugby legend and his grandfather Merv Wallace captained the New Zealand cricket team.