PGA Tour Pro Hits 'Best Shot in my Life' to Win RBC Canadian Open
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Ryan Fox won the 2025 RBC Canadian Open spectacularly, claiming his second PGA Tour title in less than a month. The New Zealander withstood a tremendous charge from Sam Burns during the final round and then defeated him in a hard-fought four-hole playoff.
Fox's victory was, of course, the result of many successful shots. However, as is often the case, one shot in particular determined the final outcome.
"It's the best shot I've ever hit in my life," Fox summed it up.
'That shot I hit on 18 ... probably the best shot I've ever hit."@RyanFoxGolfer sealed the deal with this shot on the fourth playoff hole @RBCCanadianOpen. pic.twitter.com/Nmx4kojXRt — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 8, 2025
This was the second shot of the fourth playoff hole, which was played on the 576-yard, par-5 18th hole at TPC Toronto. Fox left the ball 255 yards from the pin with his tee shot, and from there, he executed a superb wood shot that barely moved after hitting the green, stopping just seven feet from the hole.
Fox had a chance to win with his third shot because Burns's ball was 39 feet from the hole. However, the New Zealander missed his seven-foot eagle putt, and the tension rose to a fever pitch as the American got back into contention, leaving his ball nine feet from the hole for a birdie putt on his next shot.
But, Burns missed his putt, and Fox birdied the hole, lifting the RBC Canadian Open's trophy.
Ryan Fox of New Zealand plays a shot on the ninth hole during the final round of the RBC Canadian Open 2025 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley on June 08, 2025 in Caledon, Ontario.
Ryan Fox of New Zealand plays a shot on the ninth hole during the final round of the RBC Canadian Open 2025 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley on June 08, 2025 in Caledon, Ontario.This wasn't the only opportunity the American missed. On the first hole of the playoff, he missed a five-foot birdie putt that would have won him the tournament.
"Sam let me off the hook big time there that first playoff hole," Fox said after his victory.
"I'd almost given him that. We had a couple scrappy holes there, and then to hit the shot I hit on 18 on the fourth playoff, it was pretty surreal. It's the best shot I've ever hit in my life. There's nothing close to that."
Sam Burns started Sunday in a tie for 16th place, but climbed to the top of the leaderboard by firing a final-round 62. Fox, the 54-hole leader, maintained his position by carding a 66.
The New Zealander added his victory at the RBC Canadian Open to his title at the Myrtle Beach Classic last March, which he also won in a playoff. His victory at TPC Toronto paved the way for his seventh US Open appearance next week.
More Golf: Lefty Ready for Final US Open amid Catching Fire at LIV Golf Virginia
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He still doesn't have a reliable jumper. And for a guard who lives off speed, any athletic slippage could get ugly, fast. And even if he ages gracefully and ends up being by far the most expensive of three quality shot-creators, he won't come close to having the trade value he holds right now. San Antonio has one last window to sell high. Advertisement Harper, on the other hand, is 19 with real long-term upside. Castle is younger, cheaper, and easier to fit in because he's a far better cutter and defender than Fox. It's not as if Fox and Wemby made a great first impression. Granted they ran only 46 pick-and-rolls together, they scored a measly 0.77 points per play. A full training camp might help, but maybe not if the team's shooting situation doesn't improve. Plus Castle and Harper also need touches. Fox/Wemby simply might not be the high-usage combo they envisioned. If moving Fox were on the table, the logical targets are the teams that were connected to him at the deadline: Miami Heat: Fox for Duncan Robinson, Haywood Highsmith, Nikola Jović, the No. 20 pick, and unprotected firsts in 2030 and 2032. Fox upgrades Miami's point guard spot, while San Antonio gets picks and three shooters including a young piece in Jović. Brooklyn Nets: Fox for Cam Johnson and draft capital. Johnson spaces the floor and fits the timeline. Houston Rockets: Fox (plus Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley) for Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith, the 10th pick, and future firsts. FVV gives the Spurs a vet, while Smith would be a fascinating fit next to Wemby. Other playmaking-needy teams like the Bulls, Magic, Suns, and Timberwolves could emerge as dark horses. Phoenix is especially interesting: if the Spurs really want Durant, Fox's salary helps make the math work. Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, or Devin Vassell could be added to build a separate bigger deal. Advertisement But there's real risk here. Fox is a known commodity as an All-Star in his prime, capable of carrying an offense, capable of making Wemby's life easier today. Harper is unproven. If his jumper never levels up or his fit with Castle overlaps too much, San Antonio may have traded a sure thing for a question mark. You don't get many chances to pair a young superstar with a reliable point guard who actually wants to be there. If Harper doesn't hit, they'll spend the next five years trying to replace what they already had. When San Antonio traded for Fox, they were trying to make the playoffs. Instead, both Fox and Wemby got hurt. The team cratered. And the lottery gave them an unexpected gift. Don't waste the alien If the Spurs keep loading up on guards with questionable jumpers, they're doing it around a star who should be the gravitational center of the entire offense. Instead, they're building a roster that pulls him to the perimeter while everyone else clogs the lane. 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Tim Duncan's prime was maximized because San Antonio built with precision. Shooting. Defense. Clarity. Manu Ginobili didn't need the ball to impact the game. Tony Parker could bend defenses without dominating possessions. Everyone fit around Duncan, and San Antonio always evolved with the times as the NBA changed. And because of that, it lasted two decades. Wembanyama deserves that kind of infrastructure. And right now, it feels like the Spurs are building a roster better suited for 2005. But the blueprint has never been clearer: surround your generational star with players who space the floor, make quick decisions, and elevate him without always needing the ball to do it. Do that, and Wembanyama changes the sport. Don't, and years from now we'll talk about how the Spurs landed an alien and built a roster that made him look human.
