Scotland’s Russell Knox has vowed to exact revenge on The Snake Pit after being bitten twice over the famed three-hole closing stretch on day two at the Valspar Championship in Tampa.
Knox posted a second round 73 to drop to two over par and nine shots behind American-born playing partner, Robert Garrigus who carved out a five under par 66 to lead the $US 5.7m event by three shots at seven under par.
Knox went into his round at even par but soon raced to two under with birdies at the third and fourth holes.
At the par four third, he landed a 210-yard second shot to just eight foot and holed the putt while t the next, the par three, fourth Knox missed the green back left before dramatically holing a 50-foot chip shot.
However Knox gave back three shots in the next two holes, taking bogey at five and then needed four shots to get down from 30-feet right of the flag for a double bogey at the sixth.
Knox then produced 10 straight pars before coming unstuck at the par four, 16th and the first hole of The Snake Pit where his drive came to rest behind a tree on route to taking a bogey.
And while Knox delighted in taking the sting out of the par three by holing a 32-foot birdie putt at the par three, 17th the course came back to sink it’s fangs into the 28-year old when he was forced play a baseball like shot from a fairway bunker before missing a 17-foot par putt.
“It was just one of those days where I managed to hole a ridiculous flop shot at the fourth, and other than that I just got unlucky a few times,” he said.
“I also hit some great putts that didn’t go in and hopefully looking back this will be my bad round for the week.
“I’m playing good enough to shoot a couple of low ones over the weekend and that will be the goal.”
Italy’s Matteo Manassero is among four players tied in third place on three under par and with the 20-year old looking to claim his first-ever PGA Tour victory.
If successful, he would become the youngest-ever player to win on three different continents after having already won twice both in Europe and Asia.
And Manassero is no stranger to the Copperhead course having finished T20th three years ago where the then 17-year old made his regular PGA Tour event debut.
“I was doing really well after two days with two 68s last time I was here, as well,” said Manassero.
“I just like the golf as it suits my game and it reminds me of growing up playing in Italy as it’s tree-lined with a bit of elevation like many of the courses back home especially in the north.
“So it is a golf course very much like I was so used to growing up back home, and where I never needed to hit the ball very high and just needed precision to hit the fairway and then get the ball pin high.
Also after last week’s course at Doral playing here in Tampa it like comparing chalk with cheese as there is no similarity.
“So if last week suited me as a ‘2’ then this week has suited me as a ‘9’.
