By Joy Chakravarty
The New Zealand contingent at this week’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship has something more than home advantage to spur them on to a possible first title in the region’s biggest Championship.
They also have the reigning Open champion Ryan Fox by their side. Not in person, but as a powerful inspiration.
Fox became only the fourth major champion in the history of New Zealand golf earlier this year when he won the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale, joining the likes of Bob Charles (1963 Open), Michael Campbell (2005 US Open) and Lydia Ko (three times).
Ryan Fox, 154th Open Champion
Always a popular figure worldwide, Fox’s status in his home country has been elevated to a national hero since that July evening.
For the nine Kiwi players in the field, Fox’s career is a shining path to follow. He played in the first three Asia-Pacific Amateurs, turned pro in 2012, and has won 20 titles worldwide, including three on the PGA Tour and the BMW PGA Championship on the DP World Tour.
That’s not all. Fox is also a member of Te Arai Links, the stunning host venue of this year’s Championship, and holds the course record – a 60.
Zach Swanwick, the second-highest ranked player in the field and the leading New Zealander, said: “What Ryan has achieved is remarkable. He is a hero for all of us in New Zealand and he has still not changed one bit. I have not actually met him, and I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but it would be so cool if I get to play some practice rounds with him at Augusta National and then St Andrews, where he will be the defending champion.
“He is kind of the model for Golf New Zealand right now. There are a lot of people and a lot of juniors that look up to him and want to be in his shoes one day. So, just to be able to see what he’s done and be able to get on the PGA Tour, get his card and keep playing well, it’s pretty cool to see that it can be done coming from New Zealand.”
Swanwick recalled how he and Joshua Bai, his fellow Gator at the University of Florida, shut their practice at the Mark Bostick Golf Course on that eventful Sunday and watched Fox blitz through the back nine of Royal Birkdale.
“I play at Royal Auckland Golf Course, and he plays there as well,” said Bai. “So I see him out there sometimes. In terms of his Open win and what he has done throughout his career, it is definitely very inspiring to see someone from around our place achieve something like that.”
"To be able to see what he’s done and be able to get on the PGA Tour . . . it’s pretty cool to see that it can be done coming from New Zealand.”
Cooper Moore, the promising 18-year-old who has two top-20 finishes in his prior two AAC starts, added: “He is a very relaxed guy, very Kiwi guy. He’s very humble in the way he does it. You wouldn’t recognize he’s an Open champion. He doesn’t go on about it.
“What he did is pretty special. I think one of the key things about Kiwis is that we are pretty relaxed and very much go with the flow. Yeah, a great golfer, but he’s another good bloke.”
The other New Zealand players in the field this week, who will attempt to better the country’s best Championship finish of third place, are Samuel Ding, Zach May, Yuki Miya, Ishaan Shah, Robby Turnbull and Ryan Xie.
