Ryan Fox Secures Maiden PGA Tour Title After Dramatic Myrtle Beach Classic Playoff

While Sepp Straka was holding off Shane Lowry and Justin Thomas to win the Truist Championship in Pennsylvania, further south, alternate PGA Tour event the ONEFlight Myrtle Beach Classic was taking place in South Carolina.

Despite having a considerably weaker field than the more high-profile contest, it was no less dramatic, with a playoff needed to separate Ryan Fox, Mackenzie Hughes and Harry Higgs in a compelling final day at Dunes Golf and Beach Club, before Fox won it.

The day began with South Carolina native Carson Young holding a one-shot lead over Higgs at 13-under, with Hughes two back of the lead and a clutch of players, including Fox, three back at 10 under.

As a result, Young, Higgs and Hughes were the last to go out, albeit around 45 minutes later than scheduled, after thunderstorms in the area delayed the start.

However, one player in that group who clearly wasn’t affected by the delay was Higgs, who made a flying start with birdies on his opening two holes, followed by his third of the day at the fourth.

There was a more subdued start for Hughes, although it didn’t take him long to get up to speed with his first birdie of the day also coming at the fourth before successive birdies at the seventh and eighth.

As for Young, his bid for a maiden PGA Tour win never really got going. The day began badly with a bogey, with his first birdie only arriving at the 13^th, by which point he had all but slipped out of contention. Further on, Fox remained in the hunt, going one under at the turn.

As the back nine progressed, three players emerged as the most likely contenders – Hughes, Higgs and Fox, and all three were tied for the lead in the closing stages before a decisive moment came for Hughes at the 16^th with his second successive birdie to put daylight between him and his challengers.

Soon after, Fox headed back to the clubhouse after a five-under 66 and hoping for a slip-up from the leader for the chance of a playoff. Meanwhile, Higgs, who was looking for his first PGA Tour win, still had some control over matters, only one behind as he and Hughes headed to the par-4 18^th.

There was real hope for Higgs, too, when Hughes’ tee shot landed behind a row of trees to the left of the fairway, forcing a layup. However, his third shot was beautiful, touching the back of the green before spinning back and taking the ball to just 11 feet of the hole.

Higgs, meanwhile, sent his second shot onto the putting surface, albeit 26 feet from the hole. Could he find one moment of brilliance to put pressure on Hughes? Very nearly, although his long birdie attempt came up just seven inches short.

That left Hughes needing to hole his putt for par to take the title, but he handed Higgs and Fox a dramatic lifeline when he sent his ball too far, completing his bogey putt to drag him into a sudden-death playoff.

Back at the 18^th, Fox teed off first, but his drive went left of the fairway. Higgs made a better job of it, finding the middle of the fairway, before Hughes sent his way left, only for an encounter with a tree seeing it bounce back onto the fairway.

Fox then found the back of the green with his second, before Hughes did better, hitting his over the top of the flag. Next, Higgs found the right of the pin, albeit leaving further than Hughes for his birdie attempt.

Fox was up against it facing a chip from off the green, but his effort looked good from the start, and sure enough, it dropped in. Needing to hole his putt, Higgs then missed right, which just left Hughes. His putt narrowly missed left to hand Fox his maiden PGA Tour title and a place in next week’s PGA Championship.