Ryan Fox is hoping to use good memories to his benefit when he makes his first professional appearance on Singaporean soil at this week’s Singapore Classic.
The New Zealander previously played in the South East Asia country as an amateur but like many in the field is experiencing tournament golf at Laguna National Golf Resort Club for the first time.
The DP World Tour is returning to Singapore for the first time since 2014 and the World Number 30 admits he feels at home ahead of his fourth consecutive event of the year.
“It’s great, I’ve not played a tournament in Singapore for 15 years. I played an amateur event,” the three-time DP World Tour winner said.
“I’ve actually played this golf course socially with a mate who has lived here for five years.
“I’ve got good memories of this place and it’s great to be back. I always enjoyed playing in Malaysia when we used to go there, that was the last event I played in Asia.
“When I first turned pro I played a bit on the OneAsia Tour, so I’ve played quite a bit through this area, Korea and Japan and stuff like that.
“I feel like we are closer to home, even though it’s nine hours away. It doesn’t feel that far compared to Europe.”
Fox enjoyed a stellar campaign in 2022, winning titles at the Ras Al Khaimah Classic and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship as he finished second on the DP World Tour Rankings presented by Rolex.
His form saw him earn the Seve Ballesteros Award after being voted DP World Tour Player of the Year for last season by his fellow professionals.
So far this year, the 36-year-old has made the cut at all three events on the Desert Swing, improving his result every week as he registered his season’s best finish of a tie for 11th at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship.
“I got close to putting four rounds together last week,” he said.
“I had three rounds in the 60s and dropped a few shots in the middle of the round on Friday, that killed me a little bit.
It's #SingaporeClassic week 🏆🇸🇬 pic.twitter.com/9D1u0g6JEv
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) February 8, 2023
“There’s been some nice low scores out there. It’s been good or bad, not much in the middle, that’s what I’ve got to change this week.
“Just get the bad a little better because the good is definitely there.”
The Classic Course at Laguna National has narrow fairways and is full of undulations, meaning Fox is prepared for some quirky bounces.
“It's a bit funky in places, lots of slopes,” he said. “It’s a good golf course. It’s strong, you have to hit some golf shots.
“You’re going to get a few holes where you thought you had a good shot but you’re going to get a bad lie or end up on a big slope.
“If you accept at the start of the week that you’ll get a couple of them, you’ll be fine. Hopefully you don’t get more of your fair share of them.”
