FANTASTIC FOX FINALLY FLOURISHES

Ryan Fox's place on the PGA TOUR came by way of playing around the world. He is making the most of his incredible journey.

- WORDS JIM MCCABE PHOTOS GETTY IMAGES

New Zealand's Ryan Fox is something of a rarity in modern sport.

The intrigue about the 38-year- old isn't just because he hails from a country of just 5.3m (and four times smaller than Florida). It's that he's never asked for anything, eschews any sense of entitlement, and never has backed down from the chance to prove himself.

"Anything can happen," he said after his latest PGA TOUR success, a playoff win at the RBC Canadian Open.

True statement, that is. But the flip side is, when anything of the positive flavor happens to someone who has flat-out earned it and who carries himself with impeccable character, well, it reinforces what you love about pro golf.

You think you've got game? Prove it. Hit the shots, add up the numbers, and take ownership.

To journey through the difficult world of pro golf by proving yourself at every tour stop along the way -OneAsia, Australasia, Challenge, DP World, and the PGA - is commendable. To fuel your commitment by never forgetting words spoken to you by a grandfather (heralded Kiwi cricketer, Merv Wallace) and father (iconic rugby player Grant Fox) is what sits at the heart of Ryan Fox.

"My granddad passed away before I started playing golf seriously, but he coached me cricket-wise the whole way through school.

"When I started playing golf, my dad was on the bag. He would always drill into me that hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.”