BACK in July, at the media day for this year’s BMW PGA Championship, the 2023 champion Ryan Fox returned to the West Course at Wentworth and reminisced about the most rewarding week of his career.

It was obvious that the 37-year-old was still in awe of his 6-under back nine and the wait to be called forward to collect the trophy on the 18th green. In that lull he had glanced up at the leaderboard to read the names of the golfers he had beaten: Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Viktor Hovland, Tommy Fleetwood, Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott and Ludvig Aberg. Not only had he bettered them all, he’d also done it on a test that before then had bewildered him.

As we chatted, I introduced a favourite subject of mine – the notion that the West Course is a field of dreams for DP World Tour golfers. The idea that time and time again winners there talk of the extent to which the venue had inspired their triumph.

I talked about how champions such as David Howell, Paul Casey, Simon Khan, Luke Donald (twice), Rory McIlroy, Chris Wood, Danny Willett, Tyrrell Hatton and Shane Lowry had vivid memories of being transfixed to the television or had actually walked the fairways as children, pestering the players for an autograph, a ball or a glove.

I explained how that trigger effect stretched beyond British and Irish shores. How Francesco Molinari recalled racing home from school to watch Costantino Rocca win this championship (it finished on Bank Holiday Monday back then) and how Matteo Manassero would wear out VHS tapes of Seve Ballesteros winning on the West Course. Even the American Billy Horschel fits the trend, I gasped. After his 2020 triumph he said: “I grew up watching this event on TV. It has a soft spot in my heart.”

I turned back to Fox, now somewhat glassy-eyed. Maybe he, too, had special memories? Maybe he had been fired by this field of dreams? Maybe he had a tale to tell?

“Not really,” the New Zealander said. “The timings weren’t very good. I like my sleep so I didn’t get up to watch it.”

Ah, yes. The glassy eyes. It wasn’t high emotion he was feeling. Those weren’t tears. It was torpor. Who is this bloke, he was wondering?! What’s he banging on about?! Field of dreams?! VHS tapes?! It’s a golf tournament, mate. Anyone else got a question?

Of course, Fox said no such things. Not out loud, at least. He’s too nice. Everyone likes him – players, caddies, officials, fans. And in a world of gym-chiselled bodies he’s a glorious Everyman with that down-to-earth nature, cheery grin and bloke-ish body. Don’t misread the physique, however. Fox is a powerful, highly skilled athlete with top quality genes.

His father is Grant Fox, not only an All Black but the fly-half who guided his nation to victory in the first Rugby World Cup and redefined rugby union’s notions of the accuracy place kickers could achieve. In that sense, of course, father and son play very different sports and yet have faced similar examinations. Because both know what it is to be the focus of attention, to contemplate the test ahead, and to execute under the greatest of pressure.

“I’ve always felt that under the pump I’m pretty good at getting into that really closed space, like nothing else matters,” Fox said. “I probably learnt a lot through osmosis, from just talking to dad. But we’re also very different. He’s pretty fiery at times and I’m definitely more laid back.”

Who can emulate Fox this week? Who might be fuelled by the field of dreams?

Each Way – Aaron Rai at 20/1

I first discovered the fondness Englishman Aaron Rai has for this championship back in 2017 at the Challenge Tour Grand Final. He told me that he’d made the journey from Wolverhampton to Wentworth with his dad as a boy and had been transfixed by Ernie Els on the putting green. “Are you a real jolly giant?” he had asked and the big South African had said with a chuckle: “Some of the time.”

Since then, Rai has won the Hong Kong Open and Scottish Open on the DP World Tour, and he added a first PGA Tour triumph in August at the Wyndham Championship. That’s quality form and he’s backed it up at the course, too. He was T14th in 2021 and second last year, finishing just one shot shy of forcing extra holes.

Each Way – Alex Noren at 22/1

The Swede hasn’t won on the DP World Tour, indeed anywhere, since 2018 but he’s a course winner and in fantastic form. His victory at Wentworth came in 2017 courtesy of a sensational final round of 62. He’s also been sixth, eighth and third in this championship. In the last 12 months he’s finished top three on the PGA Tour three times and was ninth last time out in the BMW Championship (when third after 54 holes). He’s rarely seen this side of the Atlantic these days but in the last three years has seven top 15 finishes in 10 DP World Tour starts including two second places.

Each Way – Matteo Manassero at 35/1

The Italian Matteo Manassero is one of, if not the, best story on the DP World Tour in 2024. A superstar as a youngster he won this event in 2013 a month after his 20th birthday and it was his fourth victory on the circuit. Unfortunately he career went into steep decline shortly afterwards and, while he must have felt sorry for himself at times, he was never a prima donna about having to ply his trade on the second and third tier, and his endeavours were rewarded. He won twice on the Challenge Tour last year and then lifted a fifth DP World Tour trophy in March. Since then he has maintained his form and has a total of seven top 10s for the year including sixth at The Belfry last month and third last week at Royal County Down. His return to Wentworth will be a very fond one and he can contend, too.

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