Fox referred to the set-up in India as a \u201cplacement golf course\u201d, shorter than the professionals are used to playing, but the course holds its own as wayward golf is punished so players are forced to think about other ways to approach the week. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re hitting it to corners and hitting it where you can see the ball a lot of the time and hitting some mid irons and some short irons in. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt maybe takes a little bit of my assets out of the game. I generally like hitting driver a lot, but it\u2019s kind of fun to play something quite a bit different to what we normally play.\u201d <\/p>\n
The 39-year-old will be one of two Kiwi golfers in the field, alongside Daniel Hillier who is No 14 on the DP World Tour and in the hunt for a PGA Tour card. <\/p>\n
Fox spoke to several others in the field featured at the tournament last year, including winner Tommy Fleetwood, who finished 22-under-par, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry \u2013 all confirming a driver would likely be unnecessary. <\/p>\n
Usually, Fox will switch between carrying a seven wood and a two iron depending on the tournament. This week he will have both in the bag as he leaves his driver out. <\/p>\n
He will also carry a three wood which he expects would rarely, if ever, leave the bag. <\/p>\n
\u201cI might as well have 14 in the bag, so three wood\u2019s just going to stay,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s maybe a chance that I hit it on a couple of holes depending on how I feel, but I\u2019ve played nine holes each day since I\u2019ve been here and haven\u2019t looked like hitting a wood yet off the tee. So I doubt the plan will change that much over the next couple of days. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe golf course will probably firm out a little bit. It\u2019s pretty hot here as well, so the ball goes far, so it\u2019s even going to be hitting less club during tournament conditions than what I have in the practice rounds. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is very different. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever played a tournament where I\u2019ve taken driver out of the bag.\u201d <\/p>\n
Fox heads into the event sitting sixth on the DP World Tour standings with four tournaments left in the season. <\/p>\n
In a year where he has already achieved a number of career milestones \u2013 winning a major, qualifying to compete in the 30-player PGA Tour Championship and representing the International Team in the Presidents Cup, he was looking to position himself for a run at the DP World Tour season title now too. <\/p>\n
He does, however, have work to do with American Patrick Reed leading the way about 1200 points clear of Fox. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m probably maybe a bit too far back now to challenge to win it unless something really good happens, but you know, I\u2019ll see what I can do these next three weeks. It\u2019d be nice to get another top five finish on that Order of Merit.\u201d <\/p>\n