Fox claims historic Open victory at Royal Birkdale

New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox has secured his first major championship title at the 154th Open Championship, finishing one stroke ahead of American Cameron Young at Royal Birkdale on 19 July 2026. The 39-year-old completed a record-breaking comeback from seven strokes behind after 36 holes to lift the Claret Jug, becoming only the fourth man in the past 30 years to win his first major aged 39 or older.

Fox entered the final day in joint 85th place, seven strokes off the lead, but propelled himself into contention with an eight-under 62 on Saturday that tied the record for the lowest round in a men's major tournament. This performance marked the largest comeback by position after 36 holes in major championship history. The world number 56 is also the lowest-ranked Open champion since Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke in 2011.

The tournament concluded on the 72nd hole, where Fox needed a birdie to avoid a playoff with clubhouse leader Young. Fox launched a 330-yard drive into the middle of the fairway on the long par-four, followed by an approach shot from 175 yards that stopped 11½ feet from the cup. After his playing partner Sam Burns putted out for par, Fox drained the birdie putt to secure the victory.

Young, seeking his first major title, shot a final round of six-under 64 to finish at 9-under par. However, his hopes ended on the 18th hole after his drive landed in a deep fairway bunker and subsequent shots struggled against the wind, resulting in a bogey. Young had previously caught then-leader Si Woo Kim at 10-under par during the round but ultimately fell short.

Fox finished the tournament at 10-under par (270), while Young finished second. The victory caps a dramatic Sunday at Royal Birkdale, where Fox remained unflustered in the baking conditions to overcome a field that included Young, who had set a target of nine under par before his final-hole error.