Maiden Masters competitor Russell Knox will honour of the memory of his late coach in having Fleming’s son Neal Fleming to be his caddy in the Masters Par 3 Contest on the eve of the year’s first Major.
Mike Fleming had been Knox’s coach at Jacksonville University for nearly a decade before he passed away in April, 2014 at age 71.
Knox had brought Fleming from Inverness to the States to be his coach and that relationship carried on when Knox finally qualified full-time for the PGA Tour for the 2013/14 wraparound season.
Fleming had been alive when Knox heralded what would lay ahead when he lost a play-off for the 2014 Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens.
Russell Knox and his now late coach Mike Fleming at TPC Sawgrass
However when Knox broke through late last year to brilliantly capture the WGC – HSBC Champions event in Shanghai, and a breakthrough victory on the PGA and European Tour’s, he soon was overcome with emotion thinking of Fleming.
He said: “It was always my coach and my dream to get to Augusta.
“Even when I was competing no the mini-tours, that was the goal. Mike would joke, ‘Let’s get to the Masters before I die.
“Sadly, Mike didn’t make it and he also passed away not to see me win my first PGA Tour event.
“So when I did qualify last October through my Champions victory I thought about asking his son, Neal and he’s agreed so it should be great having him caddy for me.”
And the 31-year old Neal Fleming will travel from Scotland to Augusta accompanied by his mother, and the widow of Knox’s coach.
Knox got to share the experience of playing Augusta National for a first time earlier this year and with his father but then looking back on the day, he’s still not sure who had the better time.
“My dad must had said the work, ‘Who!’ about 10,000 times,” said Knox.
“So it was so cool to have him there with me. It’s a great place and I can’t wait now with just a few weeks till the Masters.”
And Knox intends reaching out to fellow Scot Sandy Lyle to organise a Masters practice round with the 1988 Augusta champion.
“If I can arrange a practice round with Sandy Lyle to stroll around the course that would be pretty cool but if it doesn’t happy I will not be that worried.
“It’s just that I don’t go out of my way to seek out certain people for practice rounds but then then given the different kind of atmosphere that goes with the Masters it would be good to play with someone who really knows there way around the course and someone like Sandy could be a big help to me in my preparations.”
Knox will contest Wednesday’s starting WGC – Dell Match-Play in Austin, Texas and then take the week off before making what also is just a fifth Major Championship appearance after contesting the 2013 US Open, the 2014 & ’15 PGA Championship and last year’s maiden Open Championship showing at St. Andrews.
He said: “It would be nice to have my game peaking for the Masters and feel like your game was clicking when you strolled up to Augusta.
“I was there in February, and it was a real buzz, and while I can’t wait to get back there next fortnight, I have just got to try and treat it as another normal tournament.
“I know that is easy to say but then then I know it will be difficult to achieve and all I can do it keep myself level-headed and hopefully things will turn out well for me.”
