Top Scot Russell Knox kick-starts his 2017 season in Hawaii but revealing he will more than likely not compete on the European Tour proper to the first week in July.
Knox joins just 31 other players, and all winners from 2016, teeing-up in the PGA Tour’s Hyundai Tournament of Champions on the Plantation Course at Kapalua.
It is Knox’s second straight appearance in the $US 6.1m event (£4.98m) and having qualified in capturing last year’s Traveller’s Championship, and his second PGA Tour title.
Knox has been keeping busy since finishing T9th in last month’s Greg Norman hosted Shark Shootout in Naples, Florida.
He and wife, Andrea hiked one of the two steep trails set out on the 2,700 feet Camelback Mountain located on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona.
The mountain is so named as it resembles the hump and head of a kneeling camel.
Russell Knox and his wife, Andrea climbing Camelback Mountain just outside of Phoenix, Arizona on December 29th, 2016. (Photo – Russell Knox)
Knox tweeted photos of the Jacksonville-based couple hiking the trail ahead of then joining fellow PGA Tour player, Kevin Streelman on New Year’s Eve in hosting a corporate outing on the Talking Stick Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Knox, who makes his 2017 debut teeing-up alongside American Ryder Cup hero Ryan Moore in Hawaii, will then remain in America’s 50th state to also contest next week’s Hawaiian Open.
However, it will not be to July 6th at the Irish Open at Portstewart in Northern Ireland Knox will make his maiden 2017 showing in a European soil event.
“I’ve again joined the European Tour, so I am a European Tour member for a second year running,” he said.
“It’s something that I was comfortable with last year and I had no problems in electing to continue in 2017.
“Of course, last year was all about trying to qualify for Darren Clarke’s Ryder Cup team whereas this year will be about simply consolidating my standing on the Tour.
“But it probably won’t be to the Irish Open I will be playing in Europe proper and then that will be for three weeks in succession as I will also again contest the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open and The Open a week later.”
Knox commences the New Year teeing-up at 12.30pm Hawaii time (10.30pm UK .. +10 hours behind UK)
