Fox on the run to maiden win
Rising New Zealander Ryan Fox is dreaming of toasting his first PGA Tour of Australasia win alongside his famous father tomorrow night after engineering a two-shot lead at the halfway point of the WA Open at Cottesloe Golf Club.
Fox, 27, went into yesterday just one shot off the lead and followed his brilliant first round of 64 with a six-under-par 66 to go 14 under.
South Australian Paul Spargo, who is also searching for a maiden victory on the PGA Tour of Australasia, and Victorian amateur Todd Sinnott are the nearest threats heading into the final two rounds at 12 under.
Royal Perth's Stephen Dartnall flew the flag for the locals, shooting a solid three-under yesterday to sit at 11-under alongside Thursday's leader, Victorian Steven Jones.
Fox, the son of former All Black Grant, has had three top-10 finishes on the Tour this year, including being runner-up at the Queensland PGA.
Fox had just one bogey and seven birdies on his way to the outright lead yesterday.
"I just played really solid all day," he said. "I feel fairly comfortable, it's nice to be in contention again.
"If you keep putting yourself in good positions then hopefully it (a win) should happen soon.
"But there are so many great players out there."
Fox said he was prepared not to be the crowd favourite.
"As a Kiwi over here I'm generally always spoiling the party," he said. "Obviously Darts is a great player and I'm sure he'll have a lot of support."
Fox is without an entourage in WA but will be joined by his dad Grant tomorrow night ahead of next week's Perth International.
"My dad is flying in on Sunday night," he said. "He is watching the All Blacks Test in Brisbane and caddying for me next week so hopefully he can come and have a bit of a celebration with me."
Dartnall, who described his past 12 months as solid playing mostly in China and Australia, said he hoped for some crowd support over the weekend.
"I'm still there and close enough," he said. "It would be good to have a few people out there and a bit of atmosphere.
"I feel confident, I am playing well and everything feels pretty good.
"It would mean a lot (to win), obviously home State so it would be fantastic."
Matt Jager, Brody Ninyette and Daniel Fox are the next best placed West Australians at eight under after shooting 65 yesterday.
Teenage WA amateur Min Woo Lee, the younger brother of professional Minjee, produced a brilliant second round of 64 to go seven under for the tournament and soar into contention.
Young gun Oliver Goss, who recently turned professional, missed the cut after managing one under over two rounds.
Meanwhile, Minjee Lee shot a six-over 78, which included four bogeys and two double bogeys, to drift eight shots off the pace at the KEB-HanaBank Championship in South Korea having gone into the second round well placed at three under.
I'm still there and close enough … I feel confident …"Stephen Dartnall
