The RBC Canadian Open concluded on Sunday, and over the week, we saw several players yo-yoing across the leaderboard. With Cameron Champ taking the lead on the first day, and locals like Nick Taylor and Corey Conners not too far behind on the following days, it was New Zealander Ryan Fox who ultimately claimed the title after a playoff. “Sam let me off the hook big time there that first playoff hole, I’d almost given him that. We had a couple scrappy holes there, and then to hit the shot I hit on 18 on the fourth playoff, it was pretty surreal. It’s the best shot I’ve ever hit in my life. There’s nothing close to that,” Fox added as he claimed his victory over Sam Burns and also earned his spot at the U.S. Open this week. While his victory received praise, his pace of play was what caught everyone’s eye, and fans advised other players to take note.
Ryan Fox, who has had multiple wins on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and eight other wins on tours across the globe, claimed his second title in four starts on the PGA Tour this year, with his last win at the Myrtle Beach Classic earlier in May. Starting his first two rounds at the RBC Canadian Open, consistently shooting 66, he gained momentum on the third day when he carded 64 for the day. While several players fell short, Fox holed a 17-foot birdie on the 18th to move into a playoff with Burns and ultimately claimed victory on the fourth playoff hole.
His victory was praiseworthy, but he received more spotlight for his pace of play, as fellow PGA Tour player, Michael Kim, posted, “Ryan Fox’s pace of play is aspirational,” on his X. This comes a few months after the pace of play talks that have been ongoing on both the PGA and the LPGA tour.
The PGA Tour decided that just a penalty or a fine would not suffice and plans to start releasing the names of slow and fast players publicly. Jay Monahan added that this is not from a viewpoint to shame players publicly and it will only aim to help the tour make the changes required going forward — “There’s also a really positive element to this. … I think it’s really telling when you look at the people on our boards, there’s a lot of shaking of heads and understanding this is an area where we need to improve.“
Ryan Fox’s pace of play is aspirational
— Michael S. Kim (@Mike_kim714) June 8, 2025
And players like Collin Morikawa approved of this move — “I think it should be released. I don’t know why you wouldn’t want it to be released. … I think what is there to hide, right? If you’re slow, you know you’re slow.” Until now, the shotlink data, which provides precise analytics on average player stroke time, has only been shared with players privately. And it is said that Ryan Fox was ranked the fastest player, including his performance at the Mexico Open and the Cognizant Classic earlier this year. And the statistics don’t lie, as even several fans have observed Fox, even at the RBC Canadian Open, to be ready to pull the trigger even before the previous player’s shot landed on the green.
Fans react to Michael Kim’s post on Ryan Fox’s pace of play
Michael Kim missed playing the RBC Canadian Open and also missed a spot at the U.S. Open this week, but that did not stop him from appreciating Ryan Fox’s pace of play. To his post, several fans reacted, calling Kim out for his pace of play, which is something that he needs to work on and probably learn from Ryan Fox. One user commented, “You should emulate,” implying that Kim needs to work on his pace of play, as he, like several others on tour, has been frequently known to hold up groups behind them as a result of slow play.
And many a time, fast play is associated with players not focusing enough, or playing their shots in a hurry, which could lead to errors that can cost them. But Fox’s victory at the RBC Canadian Open proves that it’s not a fact and merely just a fallacy — “Proves it can be done with results,” another fan commented on Kim’s post.
Most players are seen with a long pre-shot routine and often take a lot of time trying to strategise and plan their next shots. Many are seen figuring out which club they’d like to hit only after the previous player has taken their shot. But Fox doesn’t wait. He knows even before it’s his turn to play and is ready to pull the trigger without wasting a second after the previous player. “I think the second playoff hole…. After Burns hit camera switched toFox and he was already to pull the trigger!! Loved it!” a fan added, pointing out Fox’s patient yet quick play. Another fan in line with this added that, “It’s Teaching Tape,” possibly hinting at how fellow players on tour can learn from this.
So, what are your thoughts on Ryan Fox’s pace of play? Lets us know in the comments.
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