Ryan Fox Eyes PGA Tour Championship with Bold Play at BMW Championship

Ryan Fox, the 38-year-old New Zealand golfer, is currently in a pivotal position as he heads into the BMW Championship in Maryland this week. With the PGA Tour Championship next week on the line, Fox is determined to secure a spot in the final stage of the FedEx Cup playoffs. Currently ranked No. 34 on the FedEx Cup (PGA Tour) rankings, Fox needs to finish in the top 30 to qualify for the prestigious tournament. The Kiwi golfer has already achieved a top-50 finish this season, and now the focus is on moving up the rankings in a major way.

In an interview with the Herald, Fox revealed that making the BMW Championship gives him complete control over his schedule for the upcoming season. This is a critical goal for him, as it ensures his participation in all the signature events on the PGA Tour. For Fox, qualifying for the PGA Tour Championship would be the ultimate achievement, a fitting culmination to his efforts this season.

To qualify for the PGA Tour Championship, Fox must finish in the top 30 at the BMW Championship. Based on current standings, the minimum requirement for him to have a realistic chance of finishing in the top 30 is a two-way tie for 29th place. This would depend on the performance of the current No. 30 player, American Lucas Glover, who finished last in the previous event, and other results going Fox’s way.

Rather than obsessing over precise numbers, Fox is embracing the challenge with a mindset of aggressive play. He said, “I’ve kind of got nothing to lose. I’m on the outside looking in. I need a decent week. No, I don’t know what the number will be, but I’d say if I finish top 10, I’d have a pretty damn good shot of getting in the 30 next week.” His goal is simple: play aggressively, make birdies, and hole putts, and see what happens.

After a tough week at the St. Jude Championship, where he finished in a tie for 50th, Fox has been working closely with his coach, Marcus Wheelhouse, to improve his game. He has been practicing on the range and is feeling more confident about his swing heading into the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club. He believes the course will be more forgiving off the tee, though he admits he needs to “get it in play more.”

“It’s a fair bit wider, it’s a fair bit longer this week, so hopefully that helps out,” Fox said. “It’s probably along the lines of what I expected in this part of the world. Like, it’s lots of really old trees and big trees, and it’s probably hillier than I expected. It’s a really cool golf course. It’s an absolute brute of a walk... It’s a lot of up and down - potentially one of the hilliest golf courses I’ve ever played - and it’s certainly a golf course if you were playing socially, you’d want to be in a golf cart.”

While the course may be a physical challenge, Fox is looking forward to the experience. “It’s going to be a little bit of a war of attrition in that regard this week, but it’s a really fun golf course to play,” he added.

As the BMW Championship approaches, Fox is in a unique position where his performance can determine his future on the PGA Tour. With a top-10 finish potentially giving him a strong chance to secure a spot in the PGA Tour Championship, the Kiwi golfer is ready to embrace the challenge and play his best golf.