There is simply two words why top-ranked Scot Russell Knox journeyed across ‘The Pond’ to tee-up in this week’s BMW PGA Championship and a first appearance next week in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in his native Scotland – Ryder Cup.
This week’s European Tour flagship event at Wentworth is the first qualifying event for the 2020 Ryder Cup and with Knox, and having gone close to automatic selection in 2016, determined to make the most of his Whistling Strait opportunities.
Knox said: “The start of the Ryder Cup this week was my 100% decision to travel here to Wentworth and to be teeing-up this week.
“I think I heard Harrington say he expected everyone to be here. I have played a lot of average, kind of below par golf so hopefully with the Ryder Cup points kicking off, I can snap into gear here and play some good stuff.
Scotland’s Russell Knox would dearly love to kick-start his 2020 European Ryder Cup campaign with victory at the BMW PGA. (Photo – European Tour)
“There’s a huge incentive to play well this week, and if he’s European, then it will be amazing start to their Ryder Cup qualifying goal.
“I mean, that’s the goal for me coming here. It’s that I just have not had that little burst of form that I have been waiting patiently for, so hopefully it will come soon.”
Knox is on record as stating he’s a Padraig Harrington fan and also would dearly love to play under the Irishman but know also that the Scot’s very affable demeanour, and the fact also he’s an Irish Open winner, is not going to get him onto the flight later next year to rural Wisconsin.
He said: “I have played with Padraig a few times and you obviously have to respect his golfing career. He’s had an amazing career and for a few years he was incredible.
“He’s a likeable man. He’s different and I like that about him but no matter how well you get on with the Captain, if I am going to make the European Team I need to win and that’s 100%.
“In saying that, though, if you finish second 10 times I think you are also going to be on the team but winners deserve to be on the team, it’s as simple as that. So, if you can go out and win big events, you are going to play your way on to the team.
“Consistent golf is what you get you onto a Ryder Cup team, and consistently winning like the top boys do would be nice, too.”
And to help boost his early-qualifying European Team chances, Knox has entered next week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship for a first time in his career.
Knox said: “I’m looking forward to the Dunhill. I was saying to my caddie, every year I turn the TV on to watch and think to myself, ‘why am I not playing there?’ So it is good to be finally doing that this year.
“It’s an event equivalent, of course, on the PGA Tour is the Pebble Beach event and I have always enjoyed playing in it. Everyone I have spoken to on the European Tour have said the Dunhill is as good, if not better.
“I might need a few more layers of clothing but in saying that, it can be pretty cold at Pebble, too.”
