The Open Championship concluded in dramatic fashion Sunday as Ryan Fox—a massive pre-tournament underdog at Royal Birkdale with odds as high as 200-1 at some sportsbooks—won the final major of the men’s golf season with an unlikely birdie on the 72nd hole.
Fox, a 39-year-old from New Zealand, was ranked No. 56 in the Official World Golf Rankings heading into the Open and not on nearly anyone’s pick sheets. Caesars Sportsbook had Fox’s odds of winning at 200-1, meaning a bettor would make $200 for every $1 they bet on Fox. DraftKings had Fox at 170-1, and BetMGM had him at 150-1.
Despite the long odds, Fox shot a 62 in the third round, tying the lowest score in a major championship. He shot 68 in the final round Sunday to finish the tournament at -10, one stroke ahead of Cam Young, ranked No. 4 in the world.
The Open is the third win on the PGA Tour for Fox, who won both the Myrtle Beach Classic and RBC Canadian Open in 2025, but his first major victory. Fox also won four tournaments on the DP World Tour between 2019 and 2023.
Fox became the second huge underdog to win one of golf’s four majors this year. Aaron Rai had similarly long odds at the PGA Championship, where the Englishman (who is of Indian and Kenyan descent) stunned a star-studded final round leaderboard that included the likes of Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas.
