RUSSELL KNOX TEES IT UP ON THE US PGA TOUR

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
How good a player is Russell Knox? That's the question many Scots golf pundits keep asking. The Inverness exile, long-time resident of Jacksonville Beach, Florida, is among the leading money winners over the past few years on the NGA Hooters Tour, one of America's leading satellite circuits and one of the most competitive as well.
But this week Russell has qualified to play on the US PGA Tour. He's in there among the stars in the Transitions Championship at Innisbrook Resort, Copperhead, Palm Harbour, Florida.
Total purse is $5,500,000 and the winner will take home $990,000.
Being a qualfier, Russell has not got a tee time alongside any of golf's household names but he won't mind playing with Bobby Gates and Joseph Bramlett.
Survive the cut and who knows who he will have as partners at the weekend.
"This is my first time ever in a US PGA Tour event and I can hardly wait to get on that first tee," Russell E-mail me this afternoon - probably around his breakfast time in Florida.
Unfair to judge Knox on one tournament at this level but it will be very interesting to see how he fares. He has tried and failed in recent years to make the top grade tour through the US Tour School.
Say a little prayer for Russell over the next two days.
When was the last time a Monday qualifier won a US PGA Tour event?
Victory - or even a top 10 finish - could change his golfing life forever!
May all your putts be little ones, Russell.
+Many thanks to Scottishgolfview.com reader Matthew O'Neill for alerting me to the fact that Russell Knox had qualified to play in the Transitions Championship. Being a quiet type of Scot, Russell did not tell me himself although we do exchange E-mails.