My dad won the first Rugby World Cup and my grandad was a Test match captain – I’m star of a completely different sport
RYAN FOX is the third generation of his family to represent New Zealand on the world stage.
The Kiwi, 37, is in Augusta plotting Masters glory.
Fox has plenty of experience of high-level competition in his family to lean on... but not in the same sport.
His grandfather, Merv Wallace, played cricket for New Zealand between 1937 and 1953.
He featured in 13 tests, and even grabbed two half-centuries on his debut at Lord's.
Wallace, who passed away aged 91 in 2008, also scored an amazing 211 against Canterbury in 1940, although he lost many potential years of his prime to the Second World War.
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His daughter Adele went on to marry rugby player Grant Fox, and in 1987 they had golf star Ryan.
Grant, now 61, played 46 times for the all-conquering All Blacks.
A world class kicker, he helped his nation win the Rugby World Cup in 1987 - the same year his son Ryan was born.
The golfer has 17 tournament wins to his name, having turned pro in 2012.
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In 2022, Ryan told of his pride at continuing his family's sporting success.
He said: "It’s pretty cool to be the third generation of my family to represent New Zealand.
"I don’t think there’d be too many other families that could say that.
"I’m sure there’s families that have done it over the same sport, but different sports is quite cool."
Having been put off rugby by the risk of concussions, and not taken to cricket, Ryan settled on golf.
He admitted: "Looking back on it, golf was the sport I enjoyed the most.
"I’d always wanted to be a professional sportsman, it just took a fair while to figure out what sport it was going to be."