Ryan Fox has Rory McIlroy to thank for a memorable moment before the 2025 PGA Championship.
Fox had already won four times on the DP World Tour, but only became a household name in North America this season.
The New Zealander won two PGA Tour events (the Myrtle Beach Classic and the Canadian Open) and returned to the top 40 in the world rankings.
And in the midst of his career-best season, Fox had a conversation with McIlroy that he will remember for a long time.
Ryan Fox appreciates interaction with Rory McIlroy before 2025 PGA Championship
Through winning the Myrtle Beach Classic in May, Fox qualified for the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.
And when he arrived at the golf course the following week, McIlroy was the first player he saw in the locker room.
Fox and McIlroy already had a good relationship, but the New Zealander clearly thinks more of his peer after this particular interaction.
“You definitely feel like you’ve got a bit more skin in the game after a couple of wins,” the 38-year-old shared. “You get a bit more street credibility.
“The coolest thing after the first win at Myrtle Beach was… I got the last spot at the PGA Championship; I was pretty hungover and very tired. I rolled into the locker room at Quail Hollow, and the first person I saw was Rory. Rory had won The Masters a month earlier.
“I turned up and he looked over, gave me a massive smile, came over and gave me a big hug, and went, ‘Bro, I’m so happy for you.’ I was like, ‘Don’t talk about me. You just won The Masters. Don’t worry about that.’ And that’s still really cool.”
Ryan Fox comments on friendship with Rory McIlroy
While Fox shut down the suggestion of a ‘bromance’ with McIlroy, he did explain that they get on particularly well.
“I wouldn’t say that, but he loves rugby; he loves other sports,” Fox continued. “I played with him when he came down here at the back end of last year, and I’ve played with him a few times in tournaments and a couple of practice rounds.
“We’ve just got along well; we’ve got common interests in that regard. Our daughters are of very similar ages.”
Fox also revealed that McIlroy told him something about the people of New Zealand that he thinks his country should be immensely proud of.
“The buzziest thing he said to me, which I think is a credit to New Zealand… he had been down here before but not for a long time,” he added. “He flew in here, and he was waiting for some other guys to arrive from Dubai. There were eight of them down here for a trip.
“He went into that little cafe at the arrivals area at Auckland airport, on the left when you arrive, and he said he sat in there and had a coffee. He was in there for about 20 minutes, and not a single person came up and asked for an autograph or a photo. Anywhere else in the world, he would be bombarded doing that.”
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