All Blacks legend's son wins The Open in dramatic Claret Jug triumph - Ruck
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All Blacks legend’s son wins The Open in dramatic Claret Jug triumph

19 July 2026
Rugby Rucker

All Blacks legend Grant Fox has watched his family make history once again after son Ryan won The Open Championship with a stunning finish at Royal Birkdale.

Ryan Fox birdied the final hole to edge out Cameron Young by a single shot and lift the Claret Jug for the first major title of his career. The dramatic victory capped an incredible week for the New Zealander, who had only just made the cut before producing a record-equalling third-round 62 to launch himself into contention. 

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The 39-year-old kept his composure when it mattered most. With overnight leader Sam Burns slipping back and Young posting the clubhouse target, Fox stepped onto the 72nd hole knowing a birdie would make him Champion Golfer of the Year.

After Burns tapped in for par, Fox wasted no time over his winning putt, confidently rolling it into the hole before celebrating with family and friends. Television cameras later captured the emotional Kiwi on the phone to his loved ones moments before heading to the 18th green to collect the famous Claret Jug. 

Following in famous footsteps

Ryan is the son of Grant Fox, one of New Zealand rugby’s greatest-ever fly-halves.

Grant won the inaugural Rugby World Cup with the All Blacks in 1987 and scored 645 points in 46 Tests, cementing his place as one of the finest goal-kickers the game has seen. While his father became a rugby icon, Ryan has carved out his own legacy on the golf course.

An unforgettable comeback

Fox’s triumph looked unlikely after the opening two rounds, with the New Zealander scraping through to the weekend by a single shot. But everything changed on Saturday when he fired a sensational 62, equalling the lowest round ever recorded in a men’s major championship and putting himself firmly in the title race. 

He completed the job in style on Sunday, playing his final six holes in four under par before producing the decisive birdie on the last to secure one of the most memorable victories in recent Open history. It also made him just the second New Zealander to win The Open, following Bob Charles’ triumph in 1963. 

Did you know?

Ryan Fox was a talented rugby player growing up and represented New Zealand Schools, but repeated concussions convinced him to focus on golf instead. That decision has now seen him become The Open champion, adding another chapter to one of New Zealand’s greatest sporting families. 

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DetailInformation
Date16–19 July 2026
CourseRoyal Birkdale Golf Club
Par70
Yardage7,223 yards
Prize Money$17,750,000

Final Leaderboard

PosPlayerCountryScoreR1R2R3R4Total
1Ryan FoxNew Zealand-1072686268270
2Cameron YoungUnited States-967736467271
3Sam BurnsUnited States-873657262272
T4Scottie SchefflerUnited States-768706768273
T4Tommy FleetwoodEngland-769696867273
T6Si-Woo KimSouth Korea-668677267274
T6Casey JarvisSouth Africa-673686667274
T6Lucas HerbertAustralia-670717162274
T9Adam ScottAustralia-572716666275
T9Rasmus Neergaard-PetersenDenmark-572677066275
T9Russell HenleyUnited States-570686671275
T9Ryan GerardUnited States-567697267275
T9Ludvig ÅbergSweden-571677166275
T14Hideki MatsuyamaJapan-472677067276
T14Sung-Jae ImSouth Korea-466696972276
T14Bryson DeChambeauUnited States-467697268276
T14Corey ConnersCanada-471716767276
T18Jordan SmithEngland-368706970277
T18Xander SchauffeleUnited States-371667169277
T18Kristoffer ReitanNorway-369686971277
T18Marco PengeEngland-372696868277
T18Alexander NorenSweden-371696869277
T18Collin MorikawaUnited States-368706970277
T18Chris GotterupUnited States-370726768277
T18Rickie FowlerUnited States-371716669277
T18Bud CauleyUnited States-368736868277
T18Daniel BrownEngland-366697171277
T28Victor PerezFrance-268736869278
T28Jackson SuberUnited States-265707469278
T28John ParryEngland-271736668278
T28Robert MacIntyreScotland-267717169278
T28Shane LowryIreland-269697268278
T28Brooks KoepkaUnited States-270696871278
T28Kazuma KoboriNew Zealand-270677269278
T28Cameron JohnAustralia-270697267278
T28Max HomaUnited States-271677169278
T28Pierceson CoodyUnited States-267726970278
T28Patrick CantlayUnited States-271716868278
T28Jacob BridgemanUnited States-270687169278
T40Michael ThorbjornsenUnited States-170717068279
T40Matt WallaceEngland-169727167279
T40J. J. SpaunUnited States-170736967279
T40Rory McIlroyNorthern Ireland-172697167279
T40Kurt KitayamaUnited States-169706971279
T40Thomas DetryBelgium-167746969279
T46Matthew SouthgateEnglandE69766669280
T46Patrick ReedUnited StatesE72717166280
T46Jon RahmSpainE69707467280
T46Francesco MolinariItalyE67727269280
T46Hennie du PlessisSouth AfricaE70697269280
T46Eugenio Lopez-ChacarraSpainE70716970280
T46Jose Luis BallesterSpainE71667370280
T53Sahith TheegalaUnited States+171687369281
T53Alex SmalleyUnited States+167677473281
T53Shaun NorrisSouth Africa+169707270281
T53Ryo HisatsuneJapan+168716973281
T53Eric ColeUnited States+176667564281
T53Michael BrennanUnited States+172707168281
T59Aldrich PotgieterSouth Africa+269717072282
T59Johnny KeeferUnited States+270717368282
T59Nick TaylorCanada+268727171282
T59Min-Woo LeeAustralia+270717071282
T59Naoyuki KataokaJapan+273707168282
T59Ben GriffinUnited States+269746970282
T65Peter UihleinUnited States+373727068283
T65Justin ThomasUnited States+370687669283
T67Sepp StrakaAustria+468747270284
T67Nicolas EchavarriaColombia+471697767284
T69Andy SullivanEngland+570737369285
T69Tyrrell HattonEngland+569747468285
T71Alex FitzpatrickEngland+669737767286
T71M. J. DaffueSouth Africa+667727572286
T71Laurie CanterEngland+669747271286
T74Marcus PlunkettUnited States+770717571287
T74Kazuki HigaJapan+773727468287
T74Keegan BradleyUnited States+769747272287
77Jack McDonaldScotland+870737471288
78Jesper SvenssonSweden+9737773