St. Louis, Missouri ….
Russell Knox knows a ‘massive’ PGA Championship showing at Bellerive could very well see him packing his backs later next month for Versailles.
Knox finds himself a lone Scot teeing up in the 100th staging of the PGA Championship.
The Inverness-born Knox is brimming with confidence following his Irish Open triumph and a week after finishing runner-up at Le National and host for the 2018 Ryder Cup.
Knox is currently 10th overall and right on the bubble for selection but having been lost ninth place to Dane Thorbjorn Olesen who finished joint third last week in Ohio.
European Captain, Thomas Bjorn spoke Monday at Bellerive declaring he is going to go with what he thinks is ‘the 12 best played to do the job’.
Knox watched Bjorn’s press conference from his St. Louis hotel room and knows what he needs to do be on the plane to Paris.
Russell Knox matches his lowest Copperhead round in posting a fwo-under par 69
He said: “I watched some of Thomas’ (Bjorn) press conference early Monday morning and the way I see it there is five guys ahead of me on the ‘World’ points table that are one week away from probably being right in the mix of selection.
“I also look at it as there is one wildcard pick up for grabs and that is if Poulter doesn’t qualify he’ll get a pick and there’s Stenson and Garcia and how can Thomas not pick them.
“So, there’s one spot and something like 10 guys and if someone has a massive week this week they could find their way into the team
“What I know is that I am in control of my own destiny and that is how I would want it to be, so if I have a massive week myself this week, then I am going to be very close.”
In contrast to the sun-burnt, rock hard Carnoustie fairways, Bellerive has presented a rain-softened, lush-green course for the 100th PGA.
Knox said: “Compared to Carnoustie, the fairways here at Bellerive are like carpet and they’re so soft you could lie down and take nap on them.
“Also, in contrast to Carnoustie, if you hit a good drive here you will be on the fairways, so you’re not going to get bad bounces.
“The great thing is there is some crackin’ holes here at Bellerive with the par-3 sixth hole (213-yards over water) is a real beast while the ninth is pretty long and uphill (433-yards).
“All the greens here also have sections, so it is going to reward good iron play and with the key getting in on the fairway from where you can attack and because scoring will be low.
“While Carnoustie was virtually all along the ground, this week is all through the air and lengthwise, there will be no real advantage as the course is not massively long.
“The big boys can be aggressive off the tee and then have wedge in their hands but it all comes down to the greens.”
Knox wound-up his preparations for what will be his fifth straight PGA Championship yesterday (WED) playing Bellerive’s back-nine and this after playing the opening nine on Monday but sticking to the range and practice putting green Tuesday.
He said: “I had an epic sleep after Monday’s heat and just worked on my game Tuesday as there is not too much to learn out there.
“The front-nine was there very much in front of you because if you hit good shots you were rewarded and if you hit bad shots, you would be punished.
“The back-nine is very much a mirror of the front.
“If anything, Bellerive is a little different from what we play normally on the PGA Tour but it will be the best course we play this week (smiling)”.
