“You don’t often get two days of no wind around here and it was nice to take advantage of that. You get the bad side of the draw enough times, it’s nice to get the good side every now and again.”
Fox will return to New Zealand after the final leg of the European Tour’s “Desert Swing” and faces 14 days of quarantine when he gets home.
The 34-year-old had to book a slot before he left and opted for February 9, knowing that if he missed that date the next available was sometime in May.
Fox therefore thought about skipping the event in Saudi Arabia, but with a Jeddah-to-Dubai flight pushed back on Sunday evening he can make his connection to Auckland – via Kuala Lumpur – and make it home on the ninth.
February 5, 2021 GMT
KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY, Saudi Arabia (AP) New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox was worried about rust after taking time off at the end of 2020. Not anymore.
Fox’s second consecutive 5-under 65 gave him a share of a two-shot lead in a weather-delayed second round of the Saudi International on Friday.
Later starters including No. 1-ranked Dustin Johnson will finish their rounds on Saturday morning.
Fox was on 10 under overall along with Stephen Gallacher, who got through 12 holes before light faded. Play had been stopped for two hours earlier in the day because of rain.
Johnson recorded five birdies through 14 holes, putting him in a third-place tie two shots off the lead with Marcus Kinhult, who has two holes left, and finishers Andy Sullivan (66), Bernd Wiesberger (68).
Ryan Fox is tied for the lead after his second round at the Saudi International when he completed a second consecutive five-under-par 65 on Friday (Saturday NZ time). Play was suspended early on day two because of bad weather but Fox completed his round before the stoppage and shot another six birdies to share the lead on 10-under with Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher, who will have six holes to finish before completing his second round on day three on Saturday (Sunday NZ time). The 34-year-old Kiwi golfer ended with a bogey on the challenging ninth but said he was “very happy” with a performance that propels him into contention for a second European Tour win. Among the chasing pack, two shots back, is Dustin Johnson, the world No 1 from the United States.
Horsey, who had missed the cut in his first two events of the year, said: “It’s a shock actually. I’ve been playing rubbish the last couple of weeks. Didn’t feel like I controlled my ball the first two events.
“I had a conversation with a pal back home last night (Wednesday), talking a few things through and he suggested something that I work on away from the tournament. I thought, well, can’t get any worse, so I may as well try it and here we are.”
Horsey needed to eagle the par-five 18th on the par-70 layout to record the second 59 in European Tour history, but had to settle for par after almost pulling his approach into the water to the left of the green.
Scintillating 61 sends Horsey galloping into Saudi International lead, Irish contingent well off the pace
The Englishman fired seven birdies in the space of eight holes in a back nine of 28 to finish nine under. By Press Association Thursday 4 Feb 2021, 3:52 PM Feb 4th 2021, 3:52 PM 2,083 Views 2 Comments
David Horsey (file pic).
Image: Mike Egerton
ENGLAND’S DAVID HORSEY surprised himself with a brilliant 61 to head a star-studded field after day one of the Saudi International, where the Irish contingent sit well back the leaderboard.
Horsey reached the turn at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in two under par and fired seven birdies in the space of eight holes in a back nine of 28 to finish nine under, a shot ahead of Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher.