Russell Knox’s goal of making the European Ryder Cup side will now hinge on what he believes could be ‘one good performance’ in this last month of qualifying.
Knox moved to 20th on the European Ryder Cup ‘World’ points table after his share of 22nd in the rain-affected PGA Championship at Baltusrol.
It was the Scot’s best showing now in eight appearances in the Majors and with this year being a milestone first the Inverness-born Knox who contested all four Majors in a season.
However, Knox knows in being 10 spots outside of breaking into top-nine automatic qualifiers on the points table, and also with five rookies among those nine, that unless he does break into the top nine by the cut-off date of August 28th he will not be heading to Hazeltine.
Russell Knox reckons he’s one ‘good performance’ away from making the European Ryder Cup team. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“All I can do is try my best”, he said after Sunday’s final round 69.
“I’ve had my opportunities recently and I’ve done okay but then I probably needed to be in contention once to really catch an eye.
“I think my consistent play has probably been good but then we’ll see but I will probably need one more really good performance if I am to make the team.”
On the plus side, Knox has Thursday’s starting Traveller’s Championship plus three other PGA Tour events to qualify for Darren Clarke’s side ahead of the cut-off date for qualification on August 28th and with Clarke to name his three ‘wildcard’ picks on Tuesday August 30th.
And one of those events is the August 25th starting $US 8.5m Barclays Championship and the opening event of the FedEx Cup Play-Off Series.
He’s currently lying seventh on the FedEx Cup standing so it could be a scenario of all his Ryder Cup hopes being tossed into this one last qualifying basket in New Jersey.
However, on the downside Knox clearly continues to rue last November’s WGC – Champions victory not counting towards the Ryder Cup but with only himself to blame in not joining the European Tour ahead of teeing-up in Shanghai.
“I am not 100% sure how many Ryder Cup points I would have got in winning the HSBC Champions but then if that counted I would be right up there,” he said.
“Of course, everyone knows that but then those are the rules.
“So whoever makes the team deserves to make it but then there’s probably about 12 players who could still make the European Team and I would love to one of those.
“If not, there is 12 guys deserve to be there more than I do”.
Looking back on this year’s Majors, and the first time Knox has played all four Majors in a year, the Scot singled out the Masters as his best effort and this despite rounds 79 and 73 and the only Major he failed to play all four days.
“I played my best in the Majors this year this at the Masters and missed the cut that’s for sure, as tee to green I was unbelievable there,” he said.
“I just made a mess of two holes and putted horrifically to miss the cut there.
“I was pretty good at the U.S. Open (T23rd) but had massive driver problems that week so I wish I could back there with the driver I’ve found as I used multiple drivers at Oakmont the four days.
“At The Open I played fine but probably didn’t deserve to finish much better than I did (T30th) and the PGA is my best finish in a Major so I am happy.”
And now having qualified to play in all four Majors Knox believes he can put himself into contention going forward and step forward like Jimmy Walker to be honoured at the game’s highest level.
“I know now after playing all four Majors this year I am good enough and I know also what I have to work on if I am going to win another tournament or win a big one,” he said.
“I just have to putt a little bit better but tee-to-green and I feel like I am as good as anyone even though I am not as long off the tee as some of the big boys but I can hit the fairways and hit the greens as good as anyone.
“So in those weeks I practice a little bit better I am going to be right there.”
