Kiwi golfer Ryan Fox has taken the lead after the opening round of the European PGA Tour's Ras Al Khaimah Classic, shooting a course record in the UAE.
Fox, 35, holds a two-shot lead after the opening day's play, thanks to his nine-under score of 63, and equalled his personal best for his lowest single round on the European PGA Tour.
The Kiwi's round at the Al Hamra Golf Club equals the course record, set earlier this month by Spain's Adrian Otaegui, both having recorded nine-under 63s.
Starting on the front nine, Fox birdied the first hole and didn't look back, with more birdies following on the third, fifth, sixth and eighth holes.
And with a five-under front nine, Fox carried on in the second half of his round. Another birdie on the 10th was followed by two more in consecutive holes on the 12th and 13th.
But after another birdie, this one on the 16th, Fox dropped his only shot of the first round with a bogey on the 17th, before coming back to close out his round in style, making one last birdie on the 18th to end at nine under.
All up, Fox shot 10 birdies to go with his one bogey, and leads Portugal's Ricardo Gouveia by two shots heading into the tournament's second round.
The impact of the round wasn't lost on Fox, who admits he's been battling a back injury in the lead up to the tournament.
"It was nice to get in the zone, I just felt like I had control of the golf ball," Fox says.
"I probably need to throw a couple of thanks out too, I struggled last week here with my back and I have my physio out here, and the Tour physio has helped me out over the weekend and I feel 100 percent this week, which was nice.
"I worked hard today on just focusing on every shot, obviously my body felt a bit better today than last week, I felt like I could do what I wanted to do and I wasn't fighting it so hopefully I wake up tomorrow feeling good and I can keep doing what I'm doing."
Victory in the UAE would give Fox his first event win since 2019, when the Kiwi lifted the ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth title, in what was his 12th crown as a professional.
