Ryan Fox took all of 22 seconds to learn and roll in the birdie putt that won the Open Championship. But his celebration was short-lived.
Fresh off a victory that has made him an instant fan favourite, the 2026 Champion Golfer of the Year joined GOLF’s Subpar podcast to recount the sensation that followed at Royal Birkdale – a party that continued into Monday morning – and the remarkable airport encounter that followed.
Fox said the celebrations began upstairs in the players’ lounge, where he and his team poured red wine from the Claret Jug and drank from the famous cup, stopping only when the tie for the tournament was called.
“I had to go downstairs to take more pictures so I had to take the wine out of the Claret Jug, which was a bit embarrassing for the wine,” Fox said.
About 40 people joined the celebrations, Fox said, including Thomas Detry and Min Woo Lee. The party continued until the workers gave the order: Go now, or there will be no cars left to take them home.
Returning to his rented house in Birkdale, Fox faced another decision. As scheduled at 4:15 in the morning to go to the airport, he chose to skip sleep.
The party finally ended around 3:30 a.m., having inspired several videos that, Fox said, “will never see the light of day.”
Then it was off to the airport, where things changed.
Standing directly in front of Fox in the British Airways check-in line was Cameron Young, a player who had finished one shot behind him at Royal Birkdale. They were on the same flight from Manchester to London.
What could have been an unusual encounter was not.
“She was beautiful,” Fox said.
On the plane, the pattern held: Fox was sitting directly behind Young. Loading the Claret Jug – and its replica – into the overhead bin took some time.
“Some people were probably a little upset,” Fox joked. “But I wouldn’t be one to lose the Claret Jug and put it in the warehouse.”
Whether he’s golfing fast or flying slow, Fox has won fans with his low-key lifestyle – an Allman champion, who flies commercial like the rest of us. You can watch the entire episode below.
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