Monday, June 9th, 2025 Balls & Bogeys Golf News Edition

Fourth time the charm: Ryan Fox wins 2025 RBC Canadian Open on fourth playoff hole

– by Adam Schupak / Golfweek

Per Adam: “Growing up as the son of Grant Fox, one of the greatest rugby players New Zealand has ever produced, Ryan Fox learned an important lesson: hard work beats talents…”

B&B POV: After firing a final round scorcher 8-under 62, Sam Burns crossed his fingers and hoped he had posted a score to win him the Canadian Open. Everyone followed the script except New Zealander Ryan Fox, who drained a 17-foot snake on 18 and then beat Burns in a 4-hole playoff. Burns has played lackluster golf this year on tour. Fox, however, has now won twice. Let’s see if he can keep up the pace this week at Oakmont. The US Open and all the riches that come with a victory beckon.

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U.S. Open 2025: Ranking favorites, contenders, hopefuls

– by Mark Schlabach / ESPN

Per Mark: “Could the toughest test in men’s professional golf get even more difficult at Oakmont Country Club, the site of this week’s 125th U.S. Open?…”

B&B POV: Our favorites to win the US Open:

Scheffler – Duh.
Bryson – Has more talent than 99% of the field, and will certainly contend if he can hit his mid-irons better under pressure.
Russell Henley – Don’t sleep on this diminutive dude. He has the chops to gut the field and then go fishing.
Keegan Bradley – What a story this would be. With a victory, he surely would make his own Ryder Cup team roster.
Justin Rose – His all-around game, especially his ability to drive the ball longish and straightish under pressure, is well suited for the US Open at Oakmont.

Longshots: Fleetwood, Hatton, Niemann, Burns, Berger

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What’s in the Bag (WITB): Ryan Fox, 2025 Edition

– by Thomas Hamden / Balls & Bogeys

Per Thomas: Like Hideki and Shane Lowry, Canadian Open victor Ryan Fox is a Srixon/Cleveland man. There aren’t too many on tour, but those playing Srixon right now are playing good golf and getting plenty of TV broadcast time, which has to be helping Srixon sell a few more drivers and a handful of additional boxes of white Srixon pearlies than their usual retail pace.

Foxy, as we like to call him and assume his friends do, too, because that nickname rolls off the tongue, is good at golf, and his gear set-up is on point right now.

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The 2025 RBC Canadian Open Prize Money Payouts

– by Thomas Hamden / Balls & Bogeys

Per Thomas: Ryan Fox Wins Wild 2025 RBC Canadian Open — Four-Hole Playoff, Eh?

The 2025 RBC Canadian Open didn’t just deliver drama—it went full hockey-overtime mode. Journeyman Ryan Fox, the powerful Kiwi, outlasted Ryder Cup wannabe Sam Burns in a four-hole playoff at TPC Toronto to claim his second playoff victory in a month. Cool. Calm. Collected. And with a pocket stuffed with $1.76M American greenbacks.

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Joaquin Niemann wins 2025 LIV Golf Virginia, heads to U.S. Open with momentum

– by Cameron Jourdan / Golfweek

Per Cameron: “Not one, not two, not three, but four.

That’s how many wins Joaquin Niemann has now this season in eight LIV Golf events, capturing 2025 LIV Golf Virginia on Sunday for his first win in the United States. He won earlier this season in Adelaide, Hong Kong and Mexico City, and on Sunday surged down the stretch at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club to beat Graeme McDowell and Anirban Lahiri by one shot…”

B&B POV: Joaquín Niemann is on a LIV heater. Yesterday, he won the LIV Golf Virginia tournament at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, finishing at –15 after a spectacular final-round 8-under 63. He edged old man Graeme McDowell and Anirban Lahiri by one shot to claim his 4th LIV victory this season and 6th overall since last year. H.E.A.T.E.R.

Will his current form translate to a top finish at Oakmont this weeks? We have him selected as one of our long shots.

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