Ryan Fox is using his Australian PGA Championship return to plot a Presidents Cup ambush, admitting he still feels the sting of being overlooked for duties three years ago.
The New Zealander looms as the missing piece in the International Team's puzzle ahead of next year's showdown at the Medinah Country Club in Illinois.
Twice a winner on the PGA Tour this year, he will be among the biggest names at Royal Queensland's NZ$2.85 million event from Thursday.
The Internationals will be led for the first time by Australian Geoff Ogilvy, the former US Open winner tasked with ending a 25-year American stronghold of the biennial event they've only won once in 15 tries.
Fox has twice been overlooked for a debut, but after a standout 2025 campaign he appears certain to become just the fifth New Zealander to feature and first since Danny Lee 10 years ago.
"I didn't play well enough in '24 to have a look-in," Fox said.
"But 2022 did hurt quite a bit. I also understand where Trevor [Immelman, former captain] was coming from.
"I'd never really played on the PGA Tour outside of a couple of majors and I was an unknown quantity and it being on US soil as well, and knowing the conditions over there, I think counted for a lot.
"But that did hurt and I've definitely got some motivation to make that team for this year.
"I saw Geoff over the last couple of days and it was good to have a bit of a chat to him about it, and he's excited and it feels like we've got a good base of a team."
The Internationals were beaten by a record 18.5 to 11.5 margin in Montreal in September, but 20 of the 30 matches weren't decided until the penultimate hole.
Australian veteran Adam Scott, now 45, has played 11 times, tying on debut before 10 straight losses.
"It is at the top of my list with winning tournaments, making the Presidents Cup team next year," the former Masters champion said.
"I'd really love to be on that team. Geoff and I have played golf since we were juniors together and I would love to get my game in shape to make that team and get that International win.
"I think it's close, and people might not think it's that close, but … even in Canada, it was just losing or winning the last hole a couple of times made the difference."
The Internationals' only win came in 1998 when Royal Melbourne GC hosted for the first time.
The United States have won at that course twice since and will return to Australia in 2028 to nearby Kingston Heath.
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