Russell Knox brilliantly reignited his Ryder Cup qualifying dream with a heart-stopping victory in the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.
Knox went into the final round trailing by three shots but found himself two clear of the field, including ‘Mr. 58’ Jim Furyk, courtesy of back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th holes go on and eventually win by a stroke with a final round 68 for a 14-under par tally on the TPC River Highlands course.
The win ensures Knox joins World No. 1 Jason Day, US Open winner Dustin Johnson along Jordan Spieth and Aussie Adam Scott as a double winner on this year’s 2015/16 PGA Tour wraparound schedule.
.@rooknox: “That was a beast of a putt” https://t.co/sDLf1vOgDi #TravelersChamp
— TravelersChamp (@TravelersChamp) August 7, 2016
Victory has seen Knox jumps 10 places on the Ryder Cup ‘World’ Points list and go past Ryder Cup stars such as Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Francesco Molinari and Graeme McDowell to be less than 4 points behind England’s Matt Fitzpatrick in breaking among the nine that will automatically qualify on August 28th for the European Team.
Knox’s success also somewhat makes amends for last November’s WGC – HSBC Champions victory as, at the time, he had not been a member of the European Tour and his victory meant nothing in terms of the Ryder Cup.
However Knox, who should move to No. 13 in the world, can look back to the 15th and 16th holes when his second shot and tee shot respectively stopped agonisingly short of finding water around the two greens.
A victory like that tastes pretty good … #TravelersChamp pic.twitter.com/1oqbgeFdu9
— TravelersChamp (@TravelersChamp) August 7, 2016
He did bogey the 16th but then after a par at the next Knox looked seemingly so relaxed he began munching on an apple on the 72nd tee before sending his tee shot right into rough at the last.
But Knox showed all his skill salvaging a sensational 12-foot par putt from a green side bunker to deny soon-to-be 50-year old Jerry Kelly, who shot a 64 to be second on 64.
The Scot celebrated by wildly throwing his cap into the crowd and then punching his fists in delight to also become the first Scot to win the Travelers and in also securing his first PGA Tour victory on American soil.
As well, he’s the first Scot in over three years to win on the US mainland since Martin Laird, who finished well down the board, captured the 2013 Valero Texas Open.
