Ryan Fox birdied the most difficult hole on the course to capture the Claret Jug at the 154th Open Championship, denying American golfers Cameron Young and Sam Burns and dealing another blow to U.S. dominance in men's major championships. The 39-year-old New Zealander finished at 10-under par, one stroke ahead of Young and two clear of 54-hole leader Burns at Royal Birkdale.
Fox entered the final hole tied with Young, who had posted a clubhouse lead of 9-under after a spectacular six-under 64. After driving his tee shot down the middle of the fairway, Fox hit his approach to inside 12 feet and calmly rolled in the birdie putt to seal the victory. Burns, who began the day with a two-shot lead, could only manage a par on the 18th, finishing at 8-under.
The win carries significant implications for international golf. American players had won seven consecutive men's majors starting with Brooks Koepka's victory at the 2023 PGA Championship, a run that included triumphs by Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau. Fox's victory halts that streak and underscores the growing competitiveness of golfers from outside the United States.
Burns appeared poised to claim his first major title after a historic performance over the middle two rounds. After opening with a three-over 73, the 29-year-old American tied the men's major record with an eight-under 62 on Friday, then followed with a five-under 65 on Saturday. His 36-hole total of 127 was the lowest across consecutive rounds in men's major championship history. However, Burns stumbled on the front nine Sunday, making three consecutive bogeys at holes 4, 5 and 6 to squander his lead.
Young, who began the final round seven shots off the pace, charged into contention with a front-nine 29 that included four birdies in his first five holes. He reached 10-under with a birdie at the 17th but drove into a fairway bunker on the final hole and could not escape cleanly, settling for a bogey and a 64. It was the second time Young finished runner-up at The Open, having lost to Cameron Smith by one shot in 2022 despite a final-round 65 and an eagle on the 72nd hole.
Fox, meanwhile, displayed resilience throughout the back nine. After birdieing the 13th and 14th to catch Young, he suffered a bad break on the par-3 15th when his tee shot landed in a difficult lie, leading to a bogey. He bounced back with a birdie at the 16th to tie Young again. On the par-5 17th, Fox chose an iron off the tee to avoid fairway bunkers but still found one after his ball rolled out to over 320 yards. He managed a good birdie look but missed, keeping the match tied.
The 18th hole, the hardest on the course during the final round, proved decisive. Fox made it look routine, splitting the fairway and sticking his approach close. Burns, who had held the 54-hole lead at the 2025 U.S. Open before shooting a final-round 78, saw his approach stop 30 feet from the cup and could not convert the birdie putt. Fox then stepped up and buried his 12-footer to win.
The victory adds to a growing list of international major champions and raises questions about the trajectory of American golf. While U.S. players have dominated in recent years, Fox's win demonstrates that the gap is narrowing. For Burns and Young, the loss adds another chapter of major championship heartbreak, while Fox joins a select group of New Zealanders to win The Open, following in the footsteps of legends like Bob Charles.
