New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox’s surge in the men’s golf tournament at the Paris Olympics faded in the final round when he was struck twice by the curse of the double-bogey.
Fox produced two bogeys and two double-bogeys in a three-over 74 on the last day at Le Golf National on Sunday, dropping 12 places into a share of 35th at two-under, 17 strokes off the gold medal.
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Fox began the final day tied for 23rd, but hopes of a finish among the leaders disappeared when he fired two bogeys and a double-bogey on the outward nine, and another double-bogey on the 18th.
He managed birdies on the second, ninth and 10th holes, but those only limited the damage, ending well behind the medallists, Masters champion and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler, Briton Tommy Fleetwood and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama.
The 37-year-old Aucklander, playing in his third Olympics, played some good golf but struggled for consistency. It was his best result after finishing T39 in Rio and T42 in Tokyo.
The other New Zealander in the field, 25-year-old Wellingtonian Daniel Hillier, managed a two-over 73 on Sunday to complete the week at seven-over, 55th of the 60 starters.
Hillier, making his Olympic debut, had rounds of 75, 73, 70 over the first three days and was hoping to continue his improvement.
Instead, he had a rare – and disastrous - quadruple-bogey seven on the 192-metre second hole, which put paid to any thoughts of a sub-par round. He fought back with birdies on the fifth, 13th and 15th before bogeying the 16th.
The women’s tournament, featuring double Olympic medallist Lydia Ko, begins on Wednesday.
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