Ryan Fox has backed up his excellent Open Championship form by holding on for his first Challenge Tour victory in France at the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge despite struggling to an over par round on Sunday.

Fox, a two time winner on the PGA Tour of Australasia, only received his first Challenge Tour start a month ago courtesy of an invite but powered to a fifth place finish to earn another start the following week.

After qualifying for last week’s Open at St Andrews Fox impressed by making the cut then firing a magnificent 5-under-par 67 Sunday, a score bettered by only four players on the day.

The 28-year-old son of former All Black Grant carried that confidence into the first round in France where he fired a brilliant 9-under 62 to take a lead he would never relinquish.

Following up with scores of 67 and 68 he began the final round three ahead of his nearest challenger and needed all those shots on a more difficult scoring day.

Two bogeys and a double on the outward nine against two birdies saw Fox turn 2-over for the day and he was joined in the lead after another bogey at the 15^th.

However, a birdie at the par-5 18^thwas enough to seal the deal, Fox claiming his first international win and a cheque for € 32,000.

"It was a tough day," said Fox.

"Conditions were pretty awful through the middle of the round with the rain and the wind."

"There are some tough holes out there, and I missed a couple of greens, and then got up and down, but it doesn’t matter now, I guess. I’m just happy."

"France was my dad’s favourite place to tour when he was playing with the All Blacks. I think it’s the same for me. It’s my favourite place in the world at the moment," added Fox.

Fox now moves into the top-15 on the Order of Merit and has an excellent chance to grab a full European Tour card if he can maintain that position the rest of the year.

Scott Arnold, who was one of the four players to shoot a better Sunday score than Fox at St Andrews with a 6-under 66, also started well in France with an opening 68 but couldn’t maintain the momentum.

The Sydneysider treed water over the middle two days with even par rounds of 71 but fell away Sunday with a 1-over 72 to fall 12 places down the standings to T33.

Geoff Drakeford was the only other Australian in the field after earning his spot courtesy of his runner-up result last week.

The Victorian rookie struggled from the outset, a double bogey at his second hole of the week setting the tone, going on to miss the cut with two over par rounds.

Great to get my first @Challenge_Tour win today at #LeVaudreuil what a fantastic couple of weeks it’s been!!! pic.twitter.com/BeNPydhUQD

— Ryan Fox (@ryanfoxgolfer) July 26, 2015