Russell Knox takes his place in golf’s elite with breakthrough WGC-HSBC Champions win
I had to double-check when I heard that his landmark win at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai was Russell Knox’s first on either the European Tour or PGA Tour.
Being a Scot, I’d been aware of him for a while and had kept an eye on his progress in the United States, where he plays most of his golf: getting his card for the first time in 2011, then keeping it.
So I was surprised that Sunday’s fantastic result represented such a milestone for the 30-year-old from Inverness, but what a tournament at which to make your breakthrough victory.
The four WGC events are billed as the next biggest after the Majors and attract the game’s absolute elite. Knox had to beat the likes of world No1 Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy to the title.
It didn’t all go smoothly on the final day, and his lead evaporated at one stage, but that makes it all the more special when you do come through. That decisive final surge to win by two shots will give him great confidence throughout his career and could open the floodgates.
Knox now faces the possibility of making his Ryder Cup debut next year at Hazeltine.
Because he is not currently a member of the European Tour, he’d have to take up the membership conferred by his win and play the required number of tournaments over the coming year to be eligible for the Ryder Cup.
It may not have troubled him before, but now that he is up to 31st in the world it is a realistic possibility so he’ll have to give it thought, but I’m sure he’d want to be part of Darren Clarke’s team.
Also impressing in China last week was England’s Danny Willett, who carded a 10-under-par final round of 62 to finish tied for third and firmly lay the gauntlet down to McIlroy in the Race To Dubai.
Willett is now just 70,000 points behind the four-time Major winner in the standings, and could overtake him this week at the BMW Masters, where he is playing but McIlroy is not.
That means the Yorkshireman could lead going into the season finale, the DP World Tour Championship, and I know what a great feeling that is, having been in a similar position myself before.
He only has to finish in the top 25 to leapfrog McIlroy, and you would certainly fancy him to do that on recent form. Willett has always been full of energy but he appears to have matured now.
This duel is great news for the European Tour and their Race To Dubai format, which seems to be working very well.
It is also a boost for our Ryder Cup hopes. Just as the US seem to have a new crop led by Spieth, Patrick Reed and Rickie Fowler, Europe can take heart from its own promising young players such as Willett, Knox, Andy Sullivan, Chris Wood and Shane Lowry.