New Zealand golfers Daniel Hillier and Ryan Fox have finished in the top-25 at the year's final golf major.
Hillier dropped four places into a tie for 19th at three-over after a one-over 72 in the final round at Royal Troon on Sunday (Monday NZ Time), while Fox climbed 45 spots into a share of 25th at five-over following a four-under 67.
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Fox was the biggest mover of the day, rising from a tie for 70th entering Sunday with the equal-second-best round of the day.
He was only bettered by the champion golfer of the year, Xander Schauffele, who fired a six-under 65 to win his second major by two strokes. England's Justin Rose, who finished tied for second, also produced a 67.
In a nine-stroke turnaround from his disappointing four-over 76 in the third round, the 36-year-old Aucklander made six birdies and two bogeys.
Fox strung together birdies at the third, fourth and fifth holes, before a bogey at the sixth. He got up-and-down from greenside bunkers at the par-four third, and par-five fourth, before putting his tee shot at the par-five sixth to within six feet.
Further birdies came at the par-three eighth and par-four ninth - rolling in putts of five feet and nine feet - to make the turn at four-under. In a less-exciting back-nine, he bogeyed the par-four 12th and birdied the par-four 13th, making a 12-footer.
"I hit a lot of quality shots, so it was nice to sign the week off on that," said Fox. "I've got a few days off now before the Olympics."
Two shots ahead, Hillier managed a lone birdie and two bogeys to finish 12 strokes behind Schauffele in his best major result.
Starting the day at two-over and eyeing the top-10, Hillier picked up a shot at the par-three eight, rolling in a 16-foot birdie from the edge of the green.
However, back-to-back bogeys came at the 10th and 11th, both par-fours. He three-putted on the 10th green, missing a six-footer for par, then after a wayward tee shot and putting his second into the greenside bunker on the 11th, failed to get out of the sand with his first attempt.
Fox and Hillier now head to Paris to represent New Zealand at the 2024 Olympics, with the men's tournament from August 1-4 at Le Golf National, south-west of Paris.
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