Ryan Fox Claims First Major Title with Dramatic Victory at 2026 British Open

New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox secured his first career major championship with a dramatic walk-off birdie on the 18th hole at Royal Birkdale. The victory at the 154th edition of the tournament caps a significant comeback for Fox, who entered the final round trailing leader Sam Burns by two strokes.

Fox concluded the tournament with a 2-under 68, finishing at 10-under par to edge out American Cameron Young by a single stroke. The win marked a turning point for Fox, who had previously never finished better than 16th in 28 major appearances. His charge was fueled by a third-round 8-under performance that positioned him for the Sunday clash.

The final round saw a tight leaderboard, with Burns ultimately finishing third at 3-under. Defending champion and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler tied with Tommy Fleetwood for fourth place at 7-under. Fox navigated a volatile back nine, making key birdies on the 13th and 14th holes before sinking the decisive 12-foot putt on the final green to claim the Claret Jug.

Television coverage of the event was provided by NBC, which is part of Comcast Corporation. As the parent company of NBCUniversal, Comcast holds a significant stake in the sports media landscape, broadcasting major golf tournaments to a global audience. On the day of the tournament, Comcast shares were trading at $23.79.

Fox’s win at Royal Birkdale earned him a prize purse of $3.2 million, while runner-up Young took home $1.8 million.

What to watch

• NBC Sports Media Rights: Future negotiation cycles for major golf championships and viewership ratings for upcoming tournaments on the network.
• Comcast Earnings: Upcoming quarterly reports detailing revenue performance within the Media segment, which houses NBC Sports.

Source: original release