Ryan Fox's Masters 2023 opener was a dream come true - and his Augusta National debut didn't disappoint.

Key Highlights :

1. Ryan Fox had an impressive debut round at the Masters.

2. He recorded four birdies and two bogeys, leaving him in a tie for 17th.

3. A steady, even, opening first nine set him up nicely to land a few more shots.

4. Consecutive birdies on 12 and 13 gave the debutant a brief confidence boost.

5. A bogey on 14 caused him to lose some momentum, but he regained it with a birdie on the 18th.

     Fox said he had opportunities to score an even lower round.

     "I actually had a few opportunities to shoot a round that was much lower than my actual score. But my mum and dad were behind me and they were like `no, you're going to do great, you're going to shoot a high score`. And that's what I did," Fox said.

     Fox, a junior at the University of Utah, shot a 281 in the first round of the NCAA Men's Golf Championship on Saturday. His score was good enough to earn him a spot in the second round, but he said he was determined to shoot even better.

     "I was really nervous in the first round, but I just tried to relax and focus on my game," Fox said. "In the second round, I just went out and played my best golf."

     Fox's parents, who are both from Utah, helped him develop a love for golf at a young age.

     "My parents were really supportive of me when I started playing golf. They would take me to the golf course all the time when I was a kid," Fox said. "Golf has been a big part of my life and I'm really grateful that my parents have supported me throughout my career."

     Fox's success has also given him a chance to give back to his community.

     "I've been involved with a lot of charities over the years, and I really enjoy giving back to the community," Fox said. "I'm really excited to be playing in the NCAA Men's Golf Championship and to be able to give back to the Utah community."

     Fox's story is an inspiration to others, and he said he hopes his story can show kids that anything is possible if they work hard.

     "I think my story can show kids that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. I never thought I would be playing in the NCAA Men's Golf Championship, but I worked really hard and it happened," Fox said. "I hope my story can show kids that anything is possible if they set their goals and work hard to achieve them."

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