Cromwell, Connecticut …
Russell Knox will not successfully defend his Travelers Championship title but it does not mean the Scot is not about to give up without a final round fight.
Knox went into his third round well outside the top-50 but after a third day 68, and his lowest round of the week, the Scot heads into round four sharing 28th place at three under and trailing nine shots behind Jordan Spieth.
Spieth birdied three of his closing four holes in a round of 66 to move to 12 under and lead by a shot from fellow American Boo Weekly.Spieth is looking not only to capture a tenth PGA Tour victory but only a second when the Texan has led start to finish, and with the first occasion being in capturing his first Major – 2015 Masters.
Knox arrived in Connecticut to first celebrate his 32nd birthday on the eve of the event and then striving to become the first since Phil Mickelson in 2002 to retain the trophy.
However, rounds of 69 and 70 was not what the Scot was looking for though he did commence round three on very strong note ahead of signing for a 68 and a three under total.
“I got off to a flyer to be four under through six holes, and starting my round from the 10th”, he said. “I mean, I seemed to be holing everything and it was good.
“But then I hit a bad drive on 17, or my eighth hole, and found the rough so I made 5 there and while that was fine, the 18th or my ninth was disappointing as I hit a beautiful dive there and then hit a great second shot that was 10-feet behind the hole but then I just misjudged the speed of the putt, so that was a bummer.
“So, it seemed an amazing front nine to be four under but then only make the turn in two under after those bogeys at my eighth and ninth holes as it should have been three or four under.
“I then made a nice par on the first or my 10th while I did birdie two, had a great chance on three.
“But then we had to wait what seemed like 30-minutes on the third hole as there was three groups on the tee that was ridiculous.
“I then bogeyed my 13th and then the 17th of my round but then it was nice to end with a birdie after a great 5 wood, a good pitch and then holing a 10-footer”.
At the close of his defence Knox and his wife, Andrea will head to Paris and his first appearance in the French Open, and if all goes to plan, he will be returning there later next year as a member of the European Ryder Cup side.
“I am really close to playing so well”, he said.
“I look at my score at three under and I feel I should be 10-under. Today also was the first day I felt really good over the putter, so even though I did not shoot what I wanted, my ball striking was so good and that is very encouraging.”
