Graham Fox says he has fulfilled a long held ambition by claiming victory at the Arnold Clark Tartan Tour’s Northern Open at Moray.
After holding the first round lead, Fox held off a strong pursuit from Paul O’Hara to win the tournament with by a single shot, with a level par second round of 71.
Fox, who is from West Kilbride and teaches at the Clydeway Golf Performance Centre, claimed the winning £3,200 prize at the Lossiemouth event.
The 45-year-old says staving off the challenge of Motherwell golfer O’Hara, who came into the tournament fresh from winning the Balmore Order of Merit 36-holer last week, was key to his triumph.
Fox, who finished runner up to Alastair Forsyth in the 2019 Northern Open at Newmachar, said: “I have been desperate to win this for years upon years. I have had a few runner-up finishes.
“The way Paul is playing, if you beat him in any tournament you would win it. He is playing at such a high level – he was out at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier this year.
“He’s at that level all the time and he should be on the Tour.”
Fox finishes with a flourish
Fox holed a mammoth putt at the 18th to claim victory in spectacular style, with he and O’Hara both level going into the final hole.
He wins it in style!
A long birdie putt on the 18th hole secures a one shot victory for @GrahamFoxGolf 👏🐥@pohara61 finished in second place after a par at 18 after a thrilling final round, to be the only two players under par pic.twitter.com/fXD1jvn343
— PGAScotland (@PGAScotland) June 9, 2023
A succession of four bogeys shortly before the turn threatened to derail his round, which put O’Hara in command after he started with three birdies from his opening four holes.
Fox was thrilled he was able to hold his nerve to claw his way back into the winning position.
He added: “I had a not bad start, but Paul had a very good start. I then had a terrible run where I bogeyed four in a row.
“I changed my ball and made a good swing. It was probably a bit easier for me playing into the wind than it was out of the wind.
“Paul got a bit unlucky with a couple of his shots and I holed a couple of monster putts, including a 60-footer at 13.
“I holed one at the 14th from off the green, which was from about 20 foot for par.
“The winning putt must have been 60-odd feet. It’s just one of these things, you try to get the pace right and luckily enough it curled in with the last roll of the ball.
“It was just momentum, and a bit of luck. You need that on days like this.”
Leading amateur Bain claims Bookless Cup
Portessie golfer Ryan Bain claimed the Bookless Cup prize for the leading amateur, with a five over par score of 147 over the two rounds which secured him an overall tie for ninth place.
The 31-year-old is a member of Strathlene in Buckie, but was previously a member at Moray.
Bain says claiming the prize in his first Northern Open in local surroundings was a sweet moment – which has given him the hunger to kick on.
Bain said: “I started off well, but the wind got up so it was a bit tough.
“I dug as deep as I could, I had a couple of missed chances coming in but it was enough in the end.
“I entered late afternoon the day before it started. The course was amazing, it’s probably the best I have ever seen the greens here.
“They were lightning quick, it was like putting on glass. It was a great experience.
“I have played a lot at Moray and done well in the past. I knew I could have put a couple together.
“I was here for about 10 years, and I am probably coming back next year. I live locally – and this win has made me want to come back even more. In a few weeks time I will be back here for the Moray five-day Open.”
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