Ryan Fox is eager to grab his opportunity to become the first New Zealander to be crowned Europe's Number One as he looks to chase down Rory McIlroy at the top of the DP World Tour Rankings in Partnership with Rolex.
The 35-year-old has two wins already this season and recently leapfrogged Matt Fitzpatrick to become McIlroy's nearest challenger, and a third victory of the campaign at the Nedbank Golf Challenge would see him overtake the Northern Irishman and have his fate in his own hands at next week's season-ending DP World Tour Championship
Fox was delighted to be able to reflect on what - regardless of what the next fortnight may bring - will be a career-best year.
"I see these next few weeks as an opportunity, I’ve got nothing to lose," he said. "I’m still going to have my best year out here regardless.
"I’ve got a pretty good player ahead of me to chase down in Rory, and a pretty good player behind me in Fitz. I feel like my golf game is in a good place, and if I can have a good week and put it a bit more in my hands, we’ll see, but I feel really happy with where the game is at.
"It's hard to describe because it’s not a position that I thought I would be in at the start of the year.
"The last couple of years have been pretty tricky in places. I haven’t felt like my golf game has been too far away but the results haven’t been coming and nothing like this looked like it would happen.
"I'm proud to be in this position and proud to have a couple of wins and contend more this year than I have in my previous years combined."
Fox admits his record at Gary Player Country Club so far leaves something to be desired, with three finishes outside the top 50 at this limited-field event.
But despite the challenge he faces this week, the son of former All Black Grant Fox arrives in South Africa in confident mood.
"Winning has been the goal every week," he said. "Everyone in the field wants to be in contention on a Sunday afternoon, especially around a place like this. You can be five shots out going into that back nine on Sunday and still win the tournament.
"You list the challenges around here and it’s a long list. It’s very narrow in places, greens are small and lots of tricky pin placements. Add in swirling winds around the volcano crater we in, altitude, a fair bit of heat.
"It’s a golf course that’s hard to figure out and I haven’t done well at all on my previous attempts."
