Fox Delivers Under Pressure at Royal Birkdale

Ryan Fox holed a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to win the 2026 Open Championship, claiming his first major title at 39 years old. Fox became only the third New Zealander to win a men's major golf championship, finishing at 10-under par and one stroke clear of Cameron Young at Royal Birkdale.

Fox came into the final hole tied with Young, after the 29-year-old finished his round at 6-under 64 a few hours before. The New Zealander's approach to the tournament's toughest hole was aggressive from the start. Fox told his caddie he was trying to win, not wait for a playoff, and he executed perfectly when it mattered most.

A Wild Back Nine and Young's Missed Opportunity

Four players had a share of the lead at some point Sunday, making for compelling theater at Royal Birkdale. Cameron Young was atop the leaderboard for two hours without hitting a shot because he finished his astonishing 6-under 64 when the leaders were on the front nine.

Young's round was nearly flawless until disaster struck on 18. His tee shot found a pot bunker. He tried to open the face of a 6-iron but caught it thin, and it smacked into the revetted wall and into the rough. The bogey left him at 9-under, setting the target Fox would eventually surpass.

It is another disappointment for Young, who is still looking for his first career major title despite winning The Players earlier this year. Young finished one shot back of the win at the 2022 Open Championship at St. Andrews and held the lead heading into the final round at the Masters back in April.

Sam Burns, the 54-hole leader who was never planning to be at The Open until his wife gave birth to their daughter earlier than expected, lost a two-shot lead and didn't make a birdie over the last 12 holes to finish two shots behind. Burns shot 72 on Sunday to finish at 8-under in solo third.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler and hometown favorite Tommy Fleetwood tied for fourth at 7-under. Fleetwood grew up in Southport and long dreamed of winning an Open at Royal Birkdale. He holed a 65-foot putt on the first hole that brought the loudest cheer of the day, but three consecutive bogeys on the back nine ended his hopes.

Fox's Resilience Shines Through

Fox never lost hope, even after a pair of bogeys on the back nine, and the 39-year-old son of an All Blacks rugby player delivered the goods when it counted. After bogeying the 15th to lose the lead, Fox birdied the 16th to get back on top, tying Young at 9-under.

On the par-4 18th, which played to a 4.345 average and had allowed only 28 birdies through four rounds, Fox was fearless. The Kiwi powered his drive into the middle of the fairway and then set up the biggest putt of his golf career so far with an approach shot that landed about 12 feet from the pin.

Fox shot 62-68 over the weekend to finish at 10 under and claim the first major championship of his career at 39 years old. Fox also becomes the third-oldest major winner in the last 10 years, trailing only Phil Mickelson at the 2021 PGA Championship and Tiger Woods at the 2019 Masters.

The emotional victory was particularly meaningful for Fox, whose journey to this point included mental health struggles as an older PGA Tour rookie. After the win, he was on the phone with his family moments later and could be heard saying, "You asked me to bring a trophy home, and I am, aren't I?"

Pool Takeaways: Experience and Form in Majors

Fox's victory offers valuable insights for pool strategy. First, recent form matters immensely in major championships. Burns's 62-65 (127 strokes, thirteen under par) second and third rounds set the lowest consecutive 36 hole record in the Open Championship and in all major championship history. Ryan Fox, who went out early during the third round, shot a eight under round of 62. Players who build momentum mid-tournament can carry it through to contention.

Second, don't discount the older veterans at majors. Fox proved that experience and patience can overcome youth in pressure situations. The way he bounced back from bogeys on the back nine showed the mental fortitude that often separates major champions from close calls.

Third, track players with recent near-misses in big events. Young, Burns, and Fleetwood all finished in the top four without major titles, continuing patterns of strong play in the biggest tournaments. These are players to target in future majors at golfpools.co.

Ready to put these insights to work in your next pool? Set up your golf pool at golfpools.co and start using trends like major championship form, recent course history, and weekend momentum to gain an edge over your competition.