Ryan Fox has made the most of a slightly weaker field to continue his push to secure a PGA Tour card for next season. 

The Kiwi secured the second top-10 finish of his PGA Tour career, at the Myrtle Beach Classic, tied for fourth finishing seven shots back of winner American Chris Gotterup and equalling his best finish at a PGA Tour event. 

Fox carded a four-under 67 to move three places up the leaderboard, having started the day in a tie for seventh. 

He could have finished as high as second had he not had a double bogey on the par-three ninth hole at the The Dunes Golf and Beach Club. 

Birdies on the par-four second, par-four fourth, par-three 12th, par-five 13th, par-four 16th and par-three 17th showed consistent scoring throughout the day’s play. 

The tournament was played in South Carolina in parallel with the Wells Fargo Championship, one of the PGA Tour’s signature events featuring most of the top players, and meant Fox was the top-ranked player heading into the tournament. 

Ryan Fox plays his shot from the third tee at the Myrtle Beach Classic. Photo / Getty Images 

This perhaps signalled a change in fortune for the world No 61 because so far this year, he has struggled to maintain form throughout four rounds and missed several cuts. 

Most importantly, the finish sends Fox to 120th in the FedEx Cup standings, with the top 125 in that ranking securing their PGA Tour card for 2025. 

Fox missed the cut in his last time out at the Byron Nelson tournament, before that he secured a tied fourth in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event with his partner Garrick Higgo — his best finish yet at a PGA Tour event. 

Winner Gotterup, in his first season on the PGA Tour, fought off challenges from compatriots Alistair Docherty and Ryan McCormick who leapt 17 and 18 places up the leaderboard on the final day, but eventually won by six shots. 

The finish bodes well for Fox because next on the calendar is a trip to Kentucky for the second major of the year at the US PGA Championship. He will be joined by Kiwi sensation Kazuma Kobori who secured a surprise invitation to make his major debut last week.