Golf has been left saluting tough New Zealander Ryan Fox after the son of an All Black gun delivered the round of his life, growing ever stronger as his rivals crumbled, to lift the Claret Jug as a rock-hard British Open champion.
Feeling so nervous he was barely able to hold his putter on the final green at Royal Birkdale, the popular Kiwi still managed to play the "perfect" 18th hole, birdieing the brute with a 12-foot putt to win the title by one shot from American Cameron Young in Sunday's thrilling finale.
Behind the 39-year-old were a host of tales of near-misses, including Australia's Lucas Herbert, who was still hanging tough in the hunt for the crown at the famous Lancashire links as he teed off at 17, requiring two birdies to match clubhouse leader Young on nine-under.
