Ryan Fox etched his name into golf history on Sunday, claiming the RBC Canadian Open at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in a dramatic four-hole playoff against Sam Burns.
The 38-year-old New Zealander’s victory, his second PGA Tour win in just four weeks, came down to a clutch 3-wood shot that he called “probably the best shot I’ve ever hit,” securing the $1.76 million prize and a spot in the 2026 Masters.
Fox entered the final round tied with Matteo Manassero at 14-under, but it was Burns who set the early pace, firing a scintillating 8-under 62 to post 18-under 262 and take the clubhouse lead. Burns, who teed off nearly two hours before the final group, rattled off five straight birdies to start the back nine and added a sixth on 18, waiting anxiously as contenders faltered.
Fox, however, stayed composed, carding a 4-under 66 with three birdies in his last five holes, including a 17-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th that lipped in to force the playoff.
The playoff, played entirely on the par-5 18th, was a rollercoaster. Both players traded pars in the first two holes, with Burns missing a 5-foot birdie putt to win on the first and Fox leaving a 12-footer short on the second. After the second hole, the PGA Tour made an unprecedented move, changing the pin location from back-left to front-right, a first in playoff history. The third hole saw both players scramble for pars, with Burns nearly finding water. Finally, on the fourth playoff hole, Fox delivered. His 258-yard 3-wood approach landed softly 7 feet from the pin, setting up an eagle chance. Burns, pulling his 3-wood 55 feet left, three-putted for par, while Fox two-putted for the winning birdie.
“To be honest, Sam and I had a bit of a pillow fight for three holes,” Fox said with a grin. “But that 3-wood on 18 was probably the best shot I’ve ever hit.”
The victory marked Fox as the first New Zealander to win multiple PGA Tour events in a single season and the first Kiwi to claim the Canadian Open since Bob Charles in 1968.
Fox’s journey to this moment was far from conventional. A late bloomer who didn’t pursue golf seriously until his late teens, he turned pro in 2012 and built a resume with four DP World Tour wins, including the 2023 BMW PGA Championship. His first PGA Tour victory came last month at the Myrtle Beach Classic, also in a playoff, where he chipped in for birdie. Now, with two wins in 2025, Fox has soared to No. 32 in the world rankings, earning a U.S. Open berth at Oakmont and solidifying his status as a dark horse for the major.
Burns, despite the heartbreak, showed resilience. His 62 was his lowest final-round score on Tour, but the missed putts in the playoff left him “gutted,” as Fox noted. Still, Burns’ recent form, including top-20 finishes at the PGA Championship and Memorial, signals a strong run into Oakmont.
Kevin Yu finished third at 17-under, earning a spot in The Open Championship alongside Cameron Young and Matt McCarty, who tied for fourth at 16-under.
The RBC Canadian Open, known for its wild finishes, lived up to its reputation. From Nick Taylor’s 72-foot eagle in 2023 to Robert MacIntyre’s emotional win with his father caddying last year, the event thrives on drama. Fox’s triumph, sealed by a shot he’ll never forget, adds another chapter to that legacy.
As he celebrated with his daughters, Isabel and Margot, greenside, Fox reflected on his surreal month: “The last four weeks, I’ve played some of the best golf of my life. To get two wins on the PGA Tour is pretty surreal.”
With the golf world now turning to the U.S. Open, Fox heads to Oakmont with momentum, confidence, and a trophy that cements his place among the game’s best.
