Ryan Fox is making a move this week at the DP World India Championship that we've never seen before: He's leaving his driver completely in the bag. Yes, you heard that right, the long-hitter is stepping onto the tee at Delhi Golf Club in New Delhi without his longest club – a declaration that is already generating buzz.
The course layout in Delhi, at 6,912 yards (6,320 meters) and Par 72, is shorter but brutally demanding. It's a pure "placement golf course" where precision triumphs over sheer power. Shots that deviate even millimeters from the ideal line are severely punished here. Fox will therefore primarily rely on his 2-iron or 4-iron and expects that his 3-wood – let alone his driver – will hardly come out of the bag. This is a strategy that's hard to swallow from a long-hitter like him.
A New Approach
Fox himself admitted that this setup completely negates one of his greatest strengths – his aggressive driving strategy. But it's precisely this contrast that appeals to him. "I don't think I've ever played a tournament where I've left the driver at home," said Fox. The dry conditions and heat might even force the pros to choose shorter clubs than they did in practice. This is golf chess at the highest level.
Star-studded Field
The India Championship starts on Thursday and is being held for only the second time. Fox was not present in 2025. The tournament attracts with a prize fund of 4 million US dollars and a winner's check of 666,667 US dollars for the field of 144 players. In addition to Fox, the reigning British Open Champion, defending champion Tommy Fleetwood, Rory McIlroy, and Aaron Rai, who also secured a major victory in 2026, are on the starting line. For Fox, it will be a true test: He has to show that he can not only hit bombs but also master the short game when it truly counts.
