Fox fired eight birdies, together with seven in his final 11 holes, to card a flawless opening 64 at Mount Juliet and luxuriate in a one-shot lead over Frederic Lacroix, Jorge Campillo, Fabrizio Zanotti and Marcel Schneider.
England’s Aaron Rai, Dale Whitnell and Jordan Smith have been a part of a six-strong group on six beneath, with Scotland’s David Legislation and Ewen Ferguson one other stroke again.
New Zealand’s Ryan Fox insisted he was stunned to seek out himself setting the tempo within the Horizon Irish Open, regardless of his sensible type this season.
Fox, who misplaced a play-off for the 2018 Irish Open to Scotland’s Russell Knox, gained the Ras Al Khaimah Traditional in February, completed runner-up within the Soudal Open and Dutch Open and was third within the BMW Worldwide on Sunday.
“I’m extra stunned, to be sincere, than anything,” the world quantity 56 stated. “I’ve been combating it on the vary the final couple of days and a 64 definitely didn’t look probably early within the spherical.
“I made a few birdies however I used to be scrapping away and hit a fantastic wedge on my eighth gap (the seventeenth) and made a couple of putts as properly. So simply a type of days that reveals how essential endurance is in a spherical of golf.
“After six holes I felt like two beneath would have been a fantastic rating. After which the final 10 holes, I felt like I may have shot something, to be sincere.
“I actually like this course, despite the fact that it kicked my ass final 12 months. And I really feel like when you hit some good pictures, you possibly can rating and when you hit unhealthy pictures, you get penalised. And I feel that’s the signal of a superb golf course.
“I really feel actually comfy with the place my sport’s at, which in all probability hasn’t occurred for a couple of years out right here now, and it’s clearly a recipe for achievement. I’ve gotten shut a couple of instances the previous couple of weeks. It’d definitely be good to get one other one over the road.”
Niall Kearney and Seamus Energy lead the house problem after matching rounds of 68, Energy holing from 27 ft for birdie on the ninth, his last gap, having taken six at each par fives on the entrance 9.
“It was fascinating,” world quantity 36 Energy stated. “The putt on the final makes you are feeling higher after a few sloppy errors coming as much as that, however general very happy.”
Three-time main winner Padraig Harrington carded a two-under-par 70 simply 4 days after his victory within the US Senior Open, whereas 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry needed to accept a 71.
“It’s a pity with the end,” stated Harrington, who bogeyed two of his final three holes. “Perhaps I’m a bit drained. Who is aware of. It’s simply part of the sport, isn’t it?
“I knew there could be powerful patches this week it doesn’t matter what, that I might have a wrestle. So I’m not going to fret about it. Get some sleep tonight. Stand up within the morning and hopefully go low.”
