Ryan Fox’s world flipped upside down last month when he sank that clutch 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th to grab the 154th British Open title at Royal Birkdale. The 39-year-old New Zealander said he’s “still trying to get used to that” ahead of the BMW Championship this week at Bellerive Country Club. Man, talk about an instant celebrity glow-up!
The Claret Jug Life Is Different
Being the Champion Golfer of the Year isn’t just a title, it’s a whole new lifestyle. Fox hadn’t done a press conference for an event basically all year until this one. He put it perfectly: “everything’s busier.” He even got stopped five times for autographs just trying to go to dinner at his hotel. That simply never happened to him randomly off the course before this win. The days of “flying under the radar” are long gone for this dude. Even Cameron Young, who Fox edged out by one stroke, was standing right behind him in the airport line for his flight to Miami the morning after the triumph. And yeah, he’s mastered getting the iconic Claret Jug into the overhead compartment on planes, naturally. Right now, that silver beauty is just chilling in the back of his BMW. Fox told Srixon tour staff in Memphis last week that he would “do it a lot this year,” after they popped some wine in the Jug for a celebratory dinner. You love to see it.
The “Foxy” Pie Takes Over Auckland
When Fox took the Jug back home to New Zealand, the country went absolutely nuts. Upwards of 3,000 people showed up in Auckland for a Q&A at Takutai Square to celebrate their fourth major golf champion, joining legends like Lydia Ko. When Fox landed in Auckland at 9 AM on a Friday, his first priority wasn’t a parade, it was a steak, bacon, jam, and cheese pie from Rollers Bakery. That specific pie? It’s since been renamed “The Foxy,” and the bakery couldn’t even open on Saturday because of the insane demand. We’re talking 3,700 pies sold in 13 days they were open, with 1,225 of those being “Foxy” pies! And get this, a neighbor from a local catering company, who lives just down the street, heard his interview about wanting a meat pie. Within half an hour of him getting home, she knocked on his door with four of them in bags. That’s true fan service right there. Fox is still out there, Jug in tow, ready for the BMW Championship. His world might be wild, but he’s clearly living it up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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