RUSSELL KNOX, 74 IN ROUND 2

KNOX AND McKNIGHT HAVE A BAD DAY AT SCHOOL Former Scotland youth international Russell Knox from Inverness, but based in Florida for the past six years since his college days at Jacksonville University, has seen his hopes of making it through to the US Tour's Final Qualifying School in December sink in the second round of the Stage 2 eliminator at Hombre Golf Club, Panama City Beach, Florida today. Knox, winner of one of the Stage 1 events, followed up a promising first-day score of 70 with a three-over-par 74 for a two-over 36-hole tally of 144. That has dropped him to joint 39th - with some players still to finish - behind the three leaders on nine-under 133, South African Andrew McLardy (68-65) and Americans Casey Wittenberg (65-69) and Garrett Osborn (64-69). Knox was five over par for the last 11 holes, his troubles starting with an uncharacteristic double bogey 6 at the eighth. He then bogeyed the 10th, 12th, 14th and 18th, offsetting the damage only slightly with a birdie at the 16th. Earlier in the round he had birdied the first, fourth and sixth and dropped only one shot, at the second. Only the leading 20 players and ties after four rounds will advance to the Final Q School. Robert McKnight from Ayrshire, the only other Scot in the field at the six Stage 2 events being held across the United States, had a disastrous second round of 80 at Deerwood Golf Club, Kingwood in Texas. He was in joint 43rd position after a one-over-par opening round of 73. Now he is almost bottom of the pile in joint 72nd position with a two-round tally of 153 - 18 shots behind American leader Emmett Turner with rounds of 68 and 67. McKnight had a double bogey 6 at the second ... another double bogey 6 at the sixth ... and just to rub it in, he had a triple bogey 6 at the short 17th. His hopes of making the US Tour Final Q School have gone completely.