Busy schedule for Ryan Fox in build up to Olympics
Busy schedule for Ryan Fox in build up to Olympics
By Paul Gueorgieff
New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox wont lack for preparation when it comes to the Olympic Games in Japan.
Dubai Duty Free Irish Open - Day Two
THOMASTOWN, IRELAND - JULY 02: Ryan Fox of New Zealand plays his second shot on the 18th hole during Day Two of The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Mount Juliet Golf Club on July 02, 2021 in Thomastown, Ireland. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
The men's section of the golf competition is to be played from July 29-August 1 and Fox will have played in two big tournaments beforehand.
They are this week's Scottish Open and The Open Championship in England the following week.
Then it will be a week off before arriving in Japan just a few days before the golf competition, which is a schedule that Fox does not mind.
``I'm one of those guys who doesn't particularly like getting to an event super early,'' Fox said in a news media interview from Scotland today (July 7).
``It will be a pretty busy week but that's sort of normal for us. We are used to long haul travel, teeing it up the next week and long haul travel back.
``I won't treat it any differently than a normal golf event other than that it's pretty special to represent New Zealand as part of a team.''
This will be Fox's second appearance at the Olympics. He finished 39th at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
Fox believes his game has matured considerably in the meantime.
``The golf game is a lot better than it was five years ago,'' he said.
``I have played against the best players in the world a lot more than I had in 2016.
``I feel when my game's on for a week, I can compete with those guys. Confidence-wise I'm a bit further along than I was in 2016.
``I'm looking forward to beating the best in the world and getting a medal for New Zealand.''
Fox won an European Tour event in 2019, the World Super 6 in Perth, to become the first New Zealand player to win on the European Tour in 10 years.
More recently he won back to back events on New Zealand's Charles Tour when his combined scores were an incredible 48 under par.
The golf venue for the Olympic Games is the Kasumigaseki Country Club which comprises a couple of golf courses.
Fox recalled he had played one of the courses as an amateur but not the one that will be used for the Olympics.
``From what I understand, it's like most Japanese golf courses.
``It's very well manicured -- Japanese courses potentially have the best-conditioned golf courses in the world.
``It will be relatively tight, relatively long rough which is pretty standard up in Japan.''
Lydia Ko will also represent New Zealand in Japan with the women's golf competition to be held the following week from August 4-7.
KPMG Women's PGA Championship - Final Round
JOHNS CREEK, GEORGIA - JUNE 27: Lydia Ko plays her shot from the 15th tee during the final round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club on June 27, 2021 in Johns Creek, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images)
Ko will be looking to go one better than Rio de Janeiro where she finished second and included a hole in one in her final round.
At the time, Ko was world No 1 and became New Zealand’s youngest individual Olympic medalist at the age of 19.
Recently, Ko has returned to some of her best golf and in April she won a LPGA Tour event which was first title since 2018.
Ko said it was an honour to represent New Zealand at the Olympics again and hopes to take some of the year’s good form to Tokyo.
“I’m super excited for the Tokyo Olympics,” Ko said.
“I’m super stoked to be able to represent New Zealand again. I’ve always felt very proud to be able to fly the New Zealand flag and to have the opportunity to represent New Zealand on a stage where all the best athletes are competing is a huge honour