The Kiwi claims the Claret Jug after denying Cameron Young in a dramatic finish at Royal Birkdale, while Spain’s Jon Rahm, Eugenio López Chacarra and Josele Ballester all finish tied for 46th at level par

By Chiky Trillo

Southport, England. Ryan Fox has written his name into golf history by becoming the first New Zealander to win The Open Championship, securing the 154th Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale with a winning total of 270 (-10).

It wasn’t the final putt on the 18th green that sealed his victory, but the magnificent approach shot that preceded it. Calm, precise and perfectly judged, Fox’s second shot left him with a manageable birdie opportunity, which he confidently converted to avoid a playoff with American Cameron Young, who had been waiting in the clubhouse for hours, hoping his score of -9 would be enough.

Young could only reflect on the costly bogey he made on the 18th hole earlier in the day, after finding the fairway bunker off the tee and being forced to play sideways. It proved to be the shot that ultimately cost him his first major championship.

Another Claret Jug slips away from Cameron Young

The Open once again delivered heartbreak for Cameron Young.

The New Yorker had already come agonisingly close to lifting the Claret Jug at St Andrews in 2022, only to be denied by Australia’s Cameron Smith, who produced a remarkable final-round comeback.

This time, it was another player from the Southern Hemisphere who dashed his hopes. Ryan Fox’s birdie on the final hole denied Young the playoff he had waited for all afternoon.

Royal Birkdale’s closing stretch decides the championship

Although Royal Birkdale lacks Augusta National’s famous Amen Corner, the redesigned par-5 14th hole proved to be the turning point of this year’s championship.

From the 14th through the closing hole, fortunes changed dramatically as contenders emerged and faded.

South Korea’s Si Woo Kim briefly reached -10 to share the lead before a costly run of bogeys dropped him back to -6.

England’s Tommy Fleetwood, backed by the home crowds, moved within one shot of the lead before finishing tied fourth at -7 alongside defending champion and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who quietly mounted another trademark charge throughout the afternoon.

Sam Burns also threatened early after reaching -11 through two holes, raising expectations of another spectacular low round, but he was unable to maintain the momentum.

Meanwhile, Ryan Fox continued to respond to every setback. Every bogey seemed to be answered by another birdie, with his crucial birdie on the 16th setting up the dramatic finish.

Then came the defining moment.

His superb approach into the 18th green and composed birdie putt secured a historic victory without the need for extra holes.

The 39-year-old had never previously finished inside the top ten at The Open, with a best result of tied 16th since making his championship debut in 2018. A brilliant third-round 62, which equalled the lowest round ever recorded in a major championship, laid the foundations for his maiden Claret Jug, completed with a closing 68.

Spanish trio finish tied for 46th

Spain’s challenge ended with Jon Rahm, Eugenio López Chacarra and Josele Ballester all finishing tied for 46th place at level par.

López Chacarra closed with rounds of 70-70-71-69, producing the only under-par final round among the Spaniards.

“Playing my first Open was emotionally demanding. Apart from Friday, I played well all week. The putts simply didn’t drop, but I’m happy to finish under par today. I’ll take three weeks off now before preparing for Denmark. The biggest lesson is that I can compete with the best players in the world. I’m closer to earning my PGA Tour card than I thought.”

Josele Ballester also finished level par after sharing the final round with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. His highlight of the week remained Saturday’s outstanding 66.

“The scores weren’t quite there this week because I never really felt comfortable, but mentally I stayed patient. I was four over after a double bogey on 13 and still managed to finish with positive feelings after a birdie on 17 and a good putt on 18. Playing alongside Scottie Scheffler was an incredible experience. His calmness is unbelievable.”

For Jon Rahm, the final round proved deeply frustrating.

A double bogey at the opening hole after another out-of-bounds tee shot immediately put him on the back foot, while another double bogey at the 18th following a three-putt resulted in a closing 74.

The Spaniard finished level par alongside his compatriots but left Royal Birkdale visibly disappointed, declining to speak to the media after another missed opportunity to contend for a major title.