Australian Open: Ryan Fox shoots opening round of 65 to be Australian Open co-leader at Royal Melbourne
Thursday, 4 December 2025
Having labelled Royal Melbourne “one of the great golf courses in the world”, Ryan Fox went as close as anyone to conquering it in a brilliant start to the Australian Open on Thursday.
The world No 41 and two-time PGA Tour winner coped best with the fast greens and a strong breeze that blew some big names - including Rory McIlroy - off course to card an opening round of six-under-par 65.
New Zealand’s top male golfer rolled in eight birdies to be in a three-way tie at the top with Australian Elvis Smylie and Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz who eagled the 17th to also finish six-under. World No 2 McIlroy was seven shots off the pace after an opening round of one-over 72 which included six bogeys.
Fox will tee off in his second round at 9.05am Friday (NZT) in forecast calmer weather in the right position to become the first New Zealander to win the Australian Open which was first contested 121 years ago.
Coming off a dream season where he secured his PGA Tour status until the end of 2027 with wins in the Myrtle Beach Classic and Canadian Open, Fox took an eight-week break. He resumed in last week’s Australian PGA Championship and, after he was the round one clubhouse leader, faded to a tie for 39th, 12 shots off the winner David Puig of Spain.
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“It was a bit of a grind to be honest, there was some rust in there,” Fox said after his final round at Royal Queensland.
He arrived in Melbourne at one of his favourite courses with a spring in his step, and started with a rush too with birdies on the second, third and fourth - the latter when he rolled in a long putt from off the green.
Fox’s only blemishes were on the ninth and 16th, otherwise he was outstanding as his rivals largely struggled. Mainly using irons off the tee he stayed in good position and took his birdie chances including a tap-in on the par-five 14th when he so nearly holed the eagle putt.
Compatriot Daniel Hillier was also in the mix with a three-under 68 which included five birdies and a double-bogey on 10, the hardest hole on the course. Hillier was unlucky to hit his drive under a bush and could only punch his second 10m onto the fairway before finding the bunker with his next.
Nick Voke, the best of the Kiwis with a third-equal finish in Brisbane, opened with 71 while another leading Kiwi hope Kazuma Kobori had a horror start to be five-over at the turn and eventually signed for a four-over 75.
A few days after his Brisbane heroics, Puig also found it hard work with an opening round of 74.
McIlroy, the tournament’s big drawcard fresh off his seventh DP World Tour (European) order of merit victory, was another to struggle on day one.
“It’s very, very tricky. The greens are getting firm and it’s a good thing they didn’t cut them today because they would have been unplayable,” McIlroy said.
“It’s not like I could have shot under-par today or something in the 60s but it doesn’t look like anyone is going to get too far away today. I limited the damage and hopefully conditions are a little better over the next few days and I can make a run.”