New Zealand’s Ryan Fox will be ruing a pair of double bogeys in the third round of the Challenge Tour’s Foshan Open in China where he finished just two shots behind the winner.

Fox grabbed the 36-hole lead at the tournament with a brilliant second round of 7-under 65, a score that included 10 birdies, including five of them consecutively from the 4th to the 8th.

Hot scoring was a theme for Fox for the week, the 29-year-old posting an incredible 30 birdies over the 72 holes.

While he also made nine bogeys for the week it was the two doubles, at the third and 17th holes in the third round, which proved fatal.

Eventually finishing 17-under, Fox was T4 and remains fourth on the season long Road to Oman rankings.

The top finisher at the end of the season earns a full exemption to the 2017 European Tour and with two events remaining Fox is still a chance though will likely need help from those ahead of him.

Nick Cullen was the other Australasian in this week’s field and he had a good week to finish T6.

The 2014 Australian Masters Champion saved his best till last, a final round 66 shunting him nine places up the leaderboard.

Cullen also moved inside the top 45 on the Road to Oman with his play, an important milestone as he will now qualify for the season ending Grand Final in two weeks’ time.

The top 15 on the Road to Oman receive status on the European Tour while the top 45 are guaranteed another year on the secondary Tour.