Ryan Fox, the New Zealand golfer who recently won his first PGA title at the Myrtle Beach Classic, shot a four-under-par 67 to rank near the top of the leaderboard at Quail Hollow on Thursday. With only days to prepare for this week’s PGA Championship, Fox faced challenges but managed to perform well.
Preparation Challenges
- Fox had limited practice time, hitting only a few balls on Tuesday and playing just one hole before rain interrupted his plans.
- Despite the lack of preparation, he secured a playoff qualifying spot for Quail Hollow by chipping in for birdie at Myrtle Beach.
Fox reflected on his performance, stating, "I was in contention. I hit a lot of really good shots. I probably took more out of that than actually making that shot." His advice for the second round is straightforward: "Just try to take the same theory this week – pick your targets, hit your shots & trust you’re playing well."
Alex Smalley’s Last-Minute Entry
Alex Smalley entered the tournament just hours before it began, stepping in for Sahith Theegala, who withdrew due to a back injury. Smalley, an alternate, has experienced similar situations in the past, including a call-up during the Riviera tournament two years ago.
Smalley also shot a four-under-par 67 on Thursday, placing him alongside Fox at the top of the leaderboard.
The Importance of Hard Work
Ryan Fox recalled a saying from his childhood: "Hard work beats talent – if you work hard enough you can live with whatever happens." This mantra resonates with him, especially after overcoming a short preparation time for the tournament. He noted, "It’s amazing what finding a bit of confidence can do – like all those bad shots that used to irk me two weeks ago didn’t seem to matter today."
Other Competitors Facing Challenges
Fox and Smalley are not alone in facing quick turnarounds after recent wins. Jon Rahm and Collin Morikawa also won tournaments last weekend but were unable to play practice rounds due to their schedules.
- Rahm shot three under par through nine holes before withdrawing from the competition, citing fatigue.
- Morikawa faced a similar situation, also shooting three under par through nine holes before withdrawing for the same reason.
Despite these challenges, both players remain confident as they navigate the major championships occurring every five weeks this season.
Conclusion
While concerns about lack of preparation time linger, the overall outlook remains positive given the strength of the field. Even with some big names missing due to injuries, the competition is fierce. As always, anything can happen come Sunday afternoon when the final results will be known.
I’m Mark W. Lamplugh Jr., a visionary Chief Executive Officer, Board Member, and best-selling Author with over 25 years of experience driving significant revenue growth and optimizing ROI across the healthcare, wellness, and media industries. Throughout my career, I’ve consistently transformed underperforming operations into thriving ventures by building top-tier marketing organizations, implementing data-driven strategies, and leading transformational change. My empathetic, collaborative, and adaptable leadership style has allowed me to cultivate inclusive cultures of innovation, develop and retain top talent, and forge strong partnerships that fuel organizational success.
Adept in executive leadership, strategic business planning, and brand and marketing strategy, I have a proven track record of boosting annual revenues—achieving up to $1.3B in oncology over three years and generating $360M in mental health initiatives. My approach combines strategic vision with hands-on execution, as evidenced by my success in launching innovative facilities, expanding services for addiction and mental health care, and enhancing organizational brand visibility. As author of “The AI Marketing Playbook,” I contribute thought leadership on the integration of artificial intelligence in marketing, a role that showcases my commitment to staying at the forefront of industry innovation.
I also bring my insights and expertise to a broad audience as the host of cable tv & global streaming of “Street Level Marketing Show,” while my writing has been featured in major publications such as Entrepreneur, Business.com, The Startup, and Kivo Daily. Whether I’m implementing targeted digital marketing campaigns that engage over a million individuals monthly or overseeing multi-million dollar budgets to maximize return on investment, I approach every challenge with a combination of strategic planning, creative problem-solving, and unwavering dedication. Above all, I am passionate about expanding access to high-quality addiction and mental health care through innovative solutions that drive both patient outcomes and organizational growth.
Mark serves on the board of One World for Life, National Fire Heritage Center, and the Institute for Responder Wellness.
Mark (https://marklamplugh.com) is one of the top marketing executives in the United States and has revolutionized how companies reach potential clients thru influence, SEO, social, PR, and traditional marketing. His expertise in Marketing, Social Media, Digital Marketing, and Public Relations has generated millions of dollars in revenue for several national companies. Mark documents many of his techniques in his book “Beginners Guide to Social & Digital Media.” and “Marketing Playbook for Social Media,” which was named the top 100 social media marketing books of all time by Book Authority. He’s also a professional advocate for the behavioral and mental health of firefighters and other first responders. Marks articles have been published in Better Marketing, Startup Magazine, Social Media Today, Kivo Daily, Biz Catalyst 360, Fire Engineering, Firehouse Magazine, and several others.
One of his companies, niches, are marketing products and services to the public safety industry and their employees, specifically mental & behavioral health services. He can be reached for comment at ceo@influencemediasolutions.com
23,000 #1 Connections, 40,000,000 US B2B Contacts and 300,000,000 B2b/B2C email contacts as well as 1,000,000+ monthly social media reach. https://marklamplugh.com
