Michael Glading: NZ Open tournament director on Ryan Fox's maiden PGA tour win in South Carolina

It's been a big day in the world of New Zealand golf, as Ryan Fox walks away with another sporting achievement.

A playoff victory at the Myrtle Beach Classic in South Carolina makes the 38-year-old just the ninth Kiwi to win on the Tour - and first in a decade.

NZ Open tournament director Michael Glading says this is a 'game-changing' moment for Fox.

"It's just fantastic for him - he was in a position a couple of years ago where he could have joined the LIV, but he chose to go on the PGA tour because ever since he was a kid, he wanted to play the PGA Tour."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's given had a Ryne Ryan Fox fantastic hooll Perry
been the first playoff hole.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
Yeah, it's eighteen past five and you know what that is.
Ryan Fox has become the ninth New Zealander to win
a PGA to a golf tournament. He's won a three
way playoff to decide the Myrtle Beach Classic this morning.
And the result of this is he now gets to
go to the PGA Championship next week and one point
two million dollars in that's New Zealand and prize money.
Michael Glading is the New Zealand Open tournament director and
with us, Hey.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
Michael, hey, he how are you how very well?

Speaker 2 (00:31):
How big is this?

Speaker 1 (00:33):
It's massive, It's massive, It's it really is a game
changer for him. You know, he's since he's been on
an American tour, he's talked about how he's got to
get a win, and he's done that, and you know,
he's it's just fantastic for him. I mean, he's he
was in a position, I think a couple of years
ago where he could have gone and joined the Live.
He was certainly approached by Live, and he chose to

(00:56):
go on the PGA Tour because ever since he was
a kid, he wanted to you know, play the PGA
Tour and then wanted to win on the PGA Tour
and he's achieved that. So it's very exciting.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
Michael. How about this? Did he actually did he only
catch up to first when he was on the fifteenth.

Speaker 1 (01:10):
Yeah, that's right, that's right. He was always one or
two behind, but he just never made a mistake the whole.
I mean, to have a round like he had today
where he didn't drop a shot in eighteen holes was fantastic.
And the day before he only had two parts the
day before because the round was full of drop shots
or birdies or eagles. So that was a phenomenal round.

(01:31):
But today's round was just a round of steady, icy
and when you need it, get the birdies. It was
pretty exciting.

Speaker 2 (01:38):
So what's your your feeling, Michael? Has he got the
break that he deserves and he will now be able
to absolutely, you know, dominate or is this just a
lucky break? How do you think he's going to go
in the PGA.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
Oh, he's just got he's got noodles of talent. I mean,
you know, he's not what you'd call the classic perfect
golf swing. But he's just got talent from head to
toe and he's got the attitude that goes with it.
You know. There he isn't the playoff for his biggest
tournament of his life and he's walking down the fairway
chat chat chat, and that's just so Ryan. He's just
got He's got a unique and wonderful personality which allows

(02:12):
him to relax between shots. It allows he's just got
the mental and this game, at this level, it's really
about being mentally tough, and he's he's whilst he's got
a laxa lexadaisical look about him, he's actually mentally incredibly
tough and he's proven that again today. It's a I
think it's a it's a well deserved and something that.

(02:32):
Look he's been, I have been. I keep in touch
with them, and over the last few weeks he's been saying,
my game's close, My games close, My game's close. So
you know he's now it's more than close. He got
through the door.

Speaker 2 (02:44):
How good, Hey, Michael, thank you appreciate it. Michael Glading,
New Zealand Open Tournament director. My game is not close.
I tell you that. I'll tell you something for nothing
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