Ryan Fox wins by 13 shots - Competitive Golf is back

Competitive golf has returned with many Kiwi professionals teeing it up for the first time in months after the Covid-19 pandemic put a halt on tournament play all around the world.

After more than two months with no professional golf in New Zealand, the New Zealand PGA circuit got underway again with the first event being the Briscoes Wairakei Invitational at Wairakei International Golf Course last Thursday.

Ryan Fox was one who pegged it up once again in what was one of the strongest pro-am fields in recent memory. He showed his class blitzing the pack by a whopping 13 shots to cruise to victory.

He fired rounds of 63, 66, and 63 to finish 24-under par, and had the flat stick rolling all week on the new Wairakei greens making 22 birdies and three eagles mixed with only four bogeys.

Gareth Paddison shot rounds of 68, 69, and 68 to claim second place at 11-under with Michael Hendry finishing a shot further back at 10-under to finish in third.

Another Kiwi who made waves on his competitive return to golf was Nick Voke. He finished in third place on the Unbridled Tour; a mini tour in the US with last week’s event being played at the Fleming Golf Club.

Voke carded rounds of 64, 62, and 69 to finish at 18-under par for the event, four shots back of the champion Edward Olson.

The Auckland professional was leading going into the final round but was unfortunately surpassed by the stellar play of Olson who shot an amazing final round of 60 to claim a two-shot victory.

Denzel Ieremia also played in the same event, finishing in a tie for 50th at four-under par.

Tim Wilkinson got his season back underway on the Korn Ferry Tour at the Korn Ferry Challenge held at TPC Sawgrass.

Wilkinson was in the mix early and was second after the opening round with a four-under 66. He faded in the last three rounds with 71, 75, and 71 to finish at three-over par for the event and in a tie for 56th place.

Steve Alker also played for the first time in this week’s Korn Ferry Tour event but missed the two-round cut with rounds of 71 and 73.

Finally, Danny Lee got his schedule back underway on the PGA Tour at the Charles Schwab Challenge.

He carded two rounds of 70 to finish at even-par and unfortunately missed the cut at two-under.