Kiwi golfer Ryan Fox has withdrawn from PGA Tour’s US$20m RBC Heritage event in South Carolina nine holes into the opening round due to illness.

Fox battled with a cold during his debut appearance at the Masters earlier this week where he finished in a share of 26th.

The 36-year-old was six-over through the opening nine holes, including a triple bogey eight, when he pulled out of the tournament.

Fox, who is ranked 37th in the world, had a special exemption to play in the tournament, one of the PGA’s designated events, after appearing in the opening major of the year in Augusta.

He told Newstalk ZB’s D’Arcy Waldegrave on Sportstalk earlier this week that he was hit by the cold heading into the second round at the Masters.

“I just was just absolutely knackered by the end of the week and, spent all day yesterday trying to recover and I’m still fighting it at the moment.”

His next event in the US is expected to be the second major of 2023, the PGA Championship at Oak Hill East Course from May 18-21.

Of the earlier starters at the RBC Heritage, Norway’s Viktor Hovland leads the field at seven-under, a week after taking the early lead at the Masters before finishing tied seventh. Masters champion Jon Rahm is also playing the event.