Ryan Fox won the 2026 Open Championship with a birdie on 18 that he knocked in within 22 seconds. That’s just how he plays. Fast. Like, annoyingly fast, if you’re the guy stuck in the group behind him.
Fox came from behind to finish at 10 under par, holding off Scottie Scheffler (7 under) and Cam Young. But the more interesting storyline might be the one Fox served up after the trophy was in his hands.
He told reporters about a moment earlier this year at the Phoenix Open, where he was paired with Scheffler in a three-ball on Saturday. As they walked off the ninth tee, Scheffler said something that still has Fox confused.
“Foxy, it doesn’t even feel like you’re in the group. It just feels like we’re playing in a two-ball, you hit it so fast. It’s just in the air,” Fox recalled, quoting Scheffler. Then he turned to the media: “You guys can tell me if it’s a burn or a compliment. It is just always how I’ve played.”
To be fair, Scheffler might have meant it as both. Fox is known as one of the fastest players on tour. The guy doesn’t linger. He sees the shot, he hits the shot. That is not normal on a circuit where some players treat a 15-foot putt like a military operation.
The win itself was a wild ride. Fox pulled even with Young at 5 under on the 17th with a birdie. On 18, he blasted a 330-yard tee shot that landed somewhere between the fairway and a bunker, then knocked a 175-yard approach to 11 feet. He drained the birdie putt in under half a minute and became the Champion Golfer of the Year.
So does Scheffler’s comment count as a friendly jab, a genuine compliment, or just a guy stating facts? Probably all three. But Fox is smart to let the internet decide. He’s got a claret jug to polish anyway.
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