Kiwi Ryan Fox is poised to follow in the footsteps of Cameron Smith and bring the claret jug, the sport\u2019s most historic trophy, to Australia for the summer of golf.<\/p>\n
The Open champion Fox is on the cusp of confirming his global celebration will include Australia, the same tour where he made his name as a professional golfer, before claiming a first major last month at 39.<\/p>\n
There hasn\u2019t been a more popular men\u2019s major winner in recent memory, with PGA Tour of Australasia officials lobbying Fox to emulate Smith by including either the Australian PGA Championship or Australian Open as part of his worldwide victory lap.<\/p>\n
A decision on whether Fox plays both events at Sydney\u2019s The Lakes Golf Club and Melbourne\u2019s Kingston Heath is yet to be finalised.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s believed the third generation New Zealand sporting representative will feature in at least one tournament in Australia.<\/p>\n
Smith\u2019s profile soared when he brought the claret jug back to Australia in 2022 after his memorable triumph at St Andrews, and Fox will still be basking in his incredible victory at Royal Birkdale later this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s such a well-liked guy and I think that adds to the story,\u201d PGA Tour of Australasia chairman and former Open champion Ian Baker-Finch said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got a 39-year-old who came through the ranks just like I did, winning the Queensland PGA, the WA Open and other Australian tour events, now to win an Open after a couple on the US Tour as well is really exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rory McIlroy will headline the Australian Open again at Kingston Heath, with Smith also confirmed for the Melbounre sandbelt as he hunts his first national championship after a shattering finish on the 72nd hole at Royal Melbourne last year.<\/p>\n
With the golfing world waiting to see if LIV Golf will attract A$350 million in private equity to continue next year after the Saudi public investment fund withdrew its support, the PGA Tour of Australasia has rolled out the welcome mat for the league\u2019s stars.<\/p>\n
LIV\u2019s Spanish young gun David Puig won the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland in 2025, and it\u2019s expected other stars from the league will also chase world rankings points in Australia at the end of the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone now sees what\u2019s going on in the world order of golf and the PGA Tour has gone to this championship and challenger series,\u201d Baker-Finch said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are opportunities now in that October, November, December, January period that we haven\u2019t had for the last 20 years. People in the industry and people in the TV world can see that will be big for the Australasian tour.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven LIV 2.0, if it does eventuate, certainly won\u2019t be as good or as big as it was. We have four, five or six Australian players who have played on the LIV tour we\u2019ve stayed very close to, and we\u2019re encouraging them in any way we can to come back and play.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want them and all of their LIV mates looking for places to play to come and play in Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Monday, the PGA Tour of Australasia will confirm the schedule for its 2026-27 season, which will begin with the PNG Open at Port Moresby later this month, and also include a three-week New Zealand swing.<\/p>\n
That part of the tour will start with the Quinovic NZ PGA Championship at Paraparaumu and finish with the New Zealand Open in Queenstown.<\/p>\n
The NSW Open will return to the Hunter Valley in November at the Greg Norman-designed The Vintage.<\/p>\n
The circuit\u2019s major backer Challenger has signed a five-year agreement, the longest in the history of the PGA Tour of Australasia.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the biggest deal we\u2019ve ever had in Australian golf,\u201d Baker-Finch said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have the golf courses, we have the weather, we have the players and we now have a television platform we can now rely on week in week out.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe end of last season was spectacular, and we can only get better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Said PGA of Australia chief executive Gavin Kirkman: \u201cWe have got momentum and we\u2019ve got to keep it moving now.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith Foxy, it shows what our pathways can do, and we do produce great players down here in Australia and New Zealand. We will continue to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n
ENDS<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Kiwi Ryan Fox is poised to follow in the footsteps of Cameron Smith and bring the claret 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