Knox back with a bang on the

Hooters Tour with jt 2 finish

Inverness-born Russell Knox has returned to the Hooters Tour after a holiday back home in Scotland followed by an appearance on the US Nationwide Tour to equal his best ever performance on the Hooters Tour.

Knox, who stayed on in Florida after four years at Jacksonville University, tied for second place, one shot behind the winner, in the Savannah Lakes Village Classic at Monticello Golf Club, McCormick in South Carolina.

He had rounds of 71, 64, 69 and 69 for a 15-under-par total of 273 over a 7,032yd course with a par of 72.

Knox birdied the 72nd hole to earn $12,455 for a three-way split of the second, third and fourth prizes with American Matthew Anderson and Englishman David Skinns from Lincoln, like Knox a former US college circuit player.

The winner, Matthew Harmon from Grand Rapids, Michigan shot 65, 71, 67 and 69 for 272 to pocket the first prize of $33,566.

A second Englishman in the last-day shake-up was former European Tour player and past world and British boys' champion Michael Welch who finished fifth on 274 to earn $7,886.

Knox won $64,074 on the 2008 Hooters Tour and an additional $25,480 in the Hooters 2008-2009 Winter Series. His record on the 2009 Hooters Tour is: joint 7th ($5,215), joint 11th ($3,452) and now joint second ($12,455).

He has about 10 top-10 finishes and three joint seconds over the past year with a best pay cheque of £12,471 in the Hilton Garden Inn Classic late last September.

Leading final totals in the Savannah Lakes Village Classic:

Par 288 (4x72) 7,032yd.

272 Matthew Harmon (US) 65 71 67 69 ($33,566).

273 Matthew Anderson (US) 68 70 69 66, David Skinns (Eng) 73 65 68 67, Russell Knox (sco) 71 64 69 69 ($12,455 each).

274 Michael Welch (Eng) 72 66 68 68 (jt 5th) ($7,886).