How Russell Knox's wife has him in

contention in Shanghai

FROM GOLF DIGEST

By Alex Myers

If you consider Russell Knox an unlikely name near the top of a World Golf Championship leader board, you'd be right. You also wouldn't know half the story.

A week ago, Knox didn't even expect to be playing in Shanghai. A spot only opened up when J.B. Holmes withdrew, but Knox still needed to obtain a visa for China. Enter Knox's Mexican-born wife, Andrea, six years his junior and a former tennis pro..

Andrea filled out the required paperwork and set up a last-minute meeting with the Chinese consulate in Malaysia. But her duties weren't done.

Since Knox's caddie didn't have as smooth of a time getting into the country, Andrea had to carry her husband's bag for his lone practice round at Sheshan International GC.

"My wife was a superstar," said Inverness-born Knox, who sits in solo second heading into the weekend, two shots behind Kevin Kisner.

And if you're wondering why the Scot couldn't carry himself, it's because he has a bad back -- yet another factor making him an improbable contender this week. Not that it was an easy loop for his helpful spouse.

"We got a stand bag from the pro here and played the quickest practice round ever, and she complained heavily for the last nine holes," Knox said.

Neither will be complaining if Knox keeps up this play for two more days.

How the Scots fared on Day 1 of Q School Stage 2

Jack Doherty made the best start of the 12 Scots who tackled the European Tour Q School Stage 2 eliminator at four Spanish venues today (Friday).

Doherty is the joint leader with Englishman Matt Wallace ib five-under-par 66 at Lumine Golf Club, Tarragona.

They are a shot ahead of a field of 72 at this  venue.

Also at Lumine, Paul Shields tied third on 67 while Daniel Young, playing as an amateur, and Noel Henderson are sharing 56th place on one-over 72.

David Law is only two shots off the pace at El Saler GC, Valencia where he had a four-under 68. Sweden's Jarmo Sandelin leads by one with A 66.

Also at El Saler, Michael Stewart is joint 46th with a 73 and Chris Doak tied 68th after a 77.

Mark Hillson is sharing 13th place at Panoramica GC, Castellon with a four-under 68, six shots behind the leader, Spanish amateur Scott Fernandez.

Also at this venue, Duncan Stewart and Bradley Neil are sharing 28th place on 70 while Craig Lawrie is joint 56th after a 73.

Ross Kellett, the only Scot in a field of 782 at Las Colinas GC, Alicante, matched the par of 71 but, at a low scoring venue, that left him only in joint 42nd place, seven behind the German leader, Philipp Mejow.

Final Qualifying Stage  November 14 to 19.

• PGA Catalunya Resort, Girona, North-east Spain

EUROPEAN TOUR Q SCHOOL Stage 2

Four rounds at four Spanish venues.

LAS COLINAS, Alicante

par 71

64 P Mejow (Ger)

Scot's score

71 R Kellett (T42).

to view all the scores at Las Colinas

CLICK HERE

LUMINE, Tarragona

par 71

66 J Doherty (Sco), M Wallace (Eng)

Other Scots' scores;

67 P Shields (T3)

72 D Young (am), N Henderson (T56)

To view all the scores at Lumine

CLICK HERE

EL SALER, Valencia

Par 72

66 J Sandelin (Swe)

Scots' scores

68 D Law (T3)

73 M Stewart (T46)

77 C Doak (T68)

To view all the scores at El Saler

CLICK HERE

PANORAMICA, Castellon

Par 72

62 S Fernandez (Spa) (am)

Scots' scores:

68 M Hillson (T13).

70 D Stewart, B Neil (T28)

73 C Lawrie (T56)

To view all the scores at Panoramica

CLICK HERE

Challenge Tour season heading for dramatic finish

Five share lead with a round to go in Oman

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
The 2015 European Challenge Tour season is set for the most enthralling of finales as five players share the lead heading into the final day of the season-closing NBO Golf Classic Grand Final, after a moving day in which the high winds produced some incredible golfing drama.
Englishmen Callum Shinkwin and James Robinson, Sweden’s Jens Dantorp, Dane Joachim B Hansen and Nacho Elvira of Spain are all tied at the top on seven under par after the leading score fell by four shots in a blustery third round at Almouj Golf, The Wave.
With so much at stake for the 45 players in the field – chasing the top 15 Road to Oman Rankings spots which earn European Tour graduation – the morning seemed to pass without much incident but as the day began to develop, the breeze grew ever stronger.
Suddenly, a spate of bogeys and double-bogeys began to filter through on the leaderboard as the gusts on the stunning coastal course overlooking the Gulf of Oman began to play havoc, although American John Hahn did buck the trend with a hole-in-one at the par three eighth hole.
With five players at the summit and 15 more within five shots of the lead, the race for European Tour promotion will come to a fittingly thrilling conclusion and Dantorp, for one, is not the kind of player to try to avoid the leaderboard. Indeed, he is hoping the massive pressure will push him on to success in Muscat.
“I was looking at the leaderboards all the time,” said the 26 year old, who was 30th in the Road to Oman Rankings heading into the final tournament of the year. “I don’t mind looking at the scores, I think it’s actually nice to see my name up there and try to get as high up as possible.
“This is a special week as well because I need to do something really big to try to get my European Tour card, I think I need to finish alone in third.
“This week is one of the weeks where you really have to look at the leaderboards to know what’s going on, so I’m now going to go home (back to the hotel) and reload for tomorrow and hopefully keep climbing up there at the top.
“The wind made it really tough today. We played the first two rounds in the opposite wind, it was a helping wind on more of the tough holes, but today it was a lot tougher.
“I played really solid until 17 when I unfortunately made a double-bogey but it happens. I need to do more of the same tomorrow, keep doing my thing, and then we’ll see what happens during the round and if I need to do something special on the last few holes, but I’m just going to try to do what I do.”
Shinkwin, meanwhile, is the youngest of the five leaders, but he has benefitted from the experience of a caddie – David McNeilly – who is one of the most experienced in the game, having carried the bag for players such as Nick Faldo, Retief Goosen and Padraig Harrington.
“I’m quite a relaxed person as it is, so I’ll just try not to think about it,” said the 22 year old, who also needs a high finish having started the week in 30th position in the Road to Oman. “I’ll look at the scores at the end of the day and hopefully come out tomorrow and play good golf again.
“I have a really good caddie on the bag and we have a really good laugh together, we’re all smiles out there and just making jokes. Once it comes down to go time on every shot, it’s go time.
“I played in Sweden during the year and had two European Tour events in a row, taking a break from Challenge Tour, and I managed to poach him through my management company, because he used to work with Matteo Manassero.
“Ever since then, he’s wanted to stick with me, he saw some talent – I don’t know where from but he saw it – and I’ve managed to keep him.”
Hansen and Robinson are both also playing for a strong finish to climb into the all-important top 15 as they stand at 17th and 43rd in the Road to Oman, respectively.
Only one of the third round leaders, Elvira, entered this week occupying a top 15 position in the Road to Oman and, ironically, the Spaniard is under no pressure whatsoever in Oman, having secured his place on The Race to Dubai earlier this year thanks to three victories this season on the Challenge Tour.
Ricardo Gouveia, the Road to Oman leader, was one of three players a shot off the lead on six under par – alongside South African Brandon Stone and England’s Ryan Evans – as the Portuguese attempts to consolidate his place in the Rankings and be crowned Challenge Tour Number One.
However, with further windy conditions expected in the afternoon on Saturday, as many as 30 players may well fancy their chances of claiming victory in the Omani capital.
THIRD ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 216 (3x72)
 209 J Hansen  (Den) 66 67 76, J Dantorp (Swe) 69 70 70, N Elvira  (Esp) 70 69 70, J Robinson (Eng) 68 70 71, C Shinkwin (Eng) 69 72 68, A
 210 R Evans  (Eng) 68 71 71, R Gouveia (Por) 67 67 76, B Stone (RSA) 71 71 68,
 211 D Foos (Ger) 72 67 72, J Winther (Den) 70 68 73, J Hahn (USA) 70 71 70, B Virto Astudillo (Esp) 71 71 69, R Davies (Wal) 73 68 70,
 212 M Orrin (Eng) 70 66 76, R McGowan  (Eng) 72 68 72, S Gros (Fra) 69 74 69, R McGee (Irl) 73 69 70, T Linard (Fra) 70 70 72, S Henry  (Sco) 69 71 72,
 214 J Fahrbring (Swe) 73 72 69,
 215 D Huizing (Ned) 70 69 76, D Im (USA) 71 67 77,
 216 S Soderberg (Swe) 74 70 72,
 217 A Björk (Swe) 73 73 71, R Coles (Eng) 74 69 74, P Whiteford (Sco) 73 67 77, A McArthur  (Sco) 75 71 71, S Jeppesen  (Swe) 70 74 73, P Widegren  (Swe) 70 73 74,
 218 G Murray  (Sco) 70 71 77, H Joannes  (Bel) 71 72 75, T Murray (Eng) 69 75 74, J Senior (Eng) 74 70 74,
 219 S Arnold  (Aus) 72 71 76, C Hanson (Eng) 70 73 76, B Åkesson (Swe) 68 69 82,
 220 M Delpodio  (Ita) 70 72 78, L Gagli  (Ita) 71 74 75, H Porteous (RSA) 76 78 66,
 221 C Sordet  (Fra) 76 72 73,
 222 R Fox (Nzl) 74 67 81, G Boyd  (Eng) 74 72 76,
 226 J McLeary  (Sco) 78 71 77,
 229 M Søgaard  (Den) 72 75 82,
 230 S Walker (Eng) 76 73 81


-

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Colin Montgomerie tied 17th with a par 70

Bernhard Langer shoots 7-under 63 to lead Champions Tour finale

FROM ESPN.COM

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona -- Bernhard Langer left Colin Montgomerie, Jeff Maggert and everyone else behind Thursday in the Champions Tour's season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship.
Langer shot a 7-under 63 on Desert Mountain's Cochise Course to take a 2-stroke lead.
"I felt tremendous peace today, I really did," the 58-year-old German star said. "That's when I play my best, when I'm not bothered by anything, I'm just walking along enjoying the scenery and having a blast playing golf and doing it well."
Langer began the week third in the Charles Schwab Cup race, 66 points behind Montgomerie and 27 behind Maggert. With players receiving a point for every $500 earned in the $2.5 million tournament, Langer was $33,000 behind Montgomerie and $13,500 behind Maggert.
Montgomerie had a 70, leaving him tied for 17th in the 30-man field. Maggert three-putted the par-5 18th for a bogey and a 72 that dropped him into a tie for 24th.
Langer is trying to win the season title for the second straight year and record third time overall. The champion will receive a $1 million annuity, the runner-up a $500,000 annuity and the third-place finisher a $300,000 annuity.
"I'm going to keep an eye on it, but the key is I've got to play my own golf," Langer said. "I've got to play my game and that was my mindset going into the tournament. I've got to play the best I can, and if I do really well, then I might end up in front of them, and if somebody else is better than me, so be it. It's not life and death."
Scottsdale resident Michael Allen and Billy Andrade were tied for second at 65. Andrade had a hole-in-one on the 190-yard second hole, using a 6-iron.
"It was a great way to start," Andrade said. "Haven't started a tournament like that with a hole-in-one before, so, of course, you automatically bogey the next hole."
Fred Couples, the 2013 tournament winner at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, was at 66 along with Kenny Perry and Olin Browne.
Langer played the front nine in 5-under 30, birdieing Nos. 2 and 5-8, and added birdies on Nos. 12 and 13. He hit 5-irons to a foot on the second and 6 inches on the fifth.
"Got off to a really nice start, hit most of my targets, hit fairways, hit greens and hit it pretty close," Langer said. "Then started to putt nicely, too."
The two-time Masters champion had only 24 putts. He made a 12-foot par save on the par-4 16th after hitting into the left greenside bunker, and got up-and-down from the right bunker on the par-3 17th.
The tournament is Langer's last before the Jan. 1 ban on the anchored putting stroke that he has used with a long putter for 17 years.
"I've thought about it a little bit," Langer said. "I've gathered a few putters, different styles, different lengths, different grips. My first thought is I'll probably go back to what I did before I went to the long putter, which was what (Matt) Kuchar does, holding the putter against the left forearm that way, and Soren Kjeldsen in Europe does the same thing. I putted that way for seven years and I won a number of tournaments including the Masters, and if you can putt on the Masters greens and win with a grip like that, I would think I could do it in other tournaments, but we'll see. There's other options."
SCOREBOARD
 par 70

1	Bernhard Langer	63
T2	Billy Andrade	65
T2	Michael Allen	65
T4	Fred Couples	66
T4	Kenny Perry	66
T4	Olin Browne	66
T7	Kevin Sutherland	68
T7	Paul Goydos	68
T7	Duffy Waldorf	68
T7	Mark O'Meara	68
T7	Wes Short Jr.	68
T7	Stephen Ames	68
T7	Bart Bryant	68
T14	Joe Durant	69
T14	Tom Lehman	69
T14	Jeff Sluman	69
T17	Colin Montgomerie	70
T17	Tom Pernice Jr.	70
T17	Kirk Triplett	70
T17	Russ Cochran	70
T17	Ian Woosnam	70
T22	Scott Dunlap	71
T22	Woody Austin	71
T24	Jeff Maggert	72
T24	Lee Janzen	72
T24	Esteb an Toledo	72
T24	David Frost	72
T28	Marco Dawson	73
T28	Gene Sauers	73
30	Jerry Smith	74

• New coach sparks Baddeley at Sanderson Farms

  By Rusty Hampton, Special to PGATOUR.COM
  

  
  

  SHA
• Aaron Baddeley fired 8-under 64 in the opening round at CC of Jackson. (Michael Cohen/Getty Images)

JACKSON, Miss. – A few observations following Thursday’s opening round of the US PGA Tour's Sanderson Farms Championship at rain-soaked Country Club of Jackson, where Roberto Castro leads after a sizzling lift-clean-and-place course-record 10-under 62.
For more on Castro's 62, click here to read the Daily Wrap-up.

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1. NOT BAD AT ALL: The guy Greg Norman once compared to Jack Nicklaus has always carried the burden of great expectations along with this baggage: As good as his short game was, Aaron Baddeley was nearly equally as sketchy off the tee or from the fairways (when he hit them).
Maybe a coaching change will change everything else for Baddeley, who fired an 8-under 64 Thursday to share second place with Bryce Molder, two shots back of leader Roberto Castro.
After a split with Chris Como (Tiger Woods’ new coach), Baddeley signed up in July with Scott Hamilton, the “anti-Method Man,” who has implored him to go back to the basics.
“I’ve changed my swing a couple of times, looking for some consistency with my ball-striking, because I’ve always had a good short game,” said Baddeley, 34. “I’ve always been one of the better putters on TOUR.”
There have been bright spots – the Australian has won seven times in 15 years, three times on the PGA TOUR and four internationally – but he’s never been able to reach the level so many expected him to attain.
“I found little spots of (consistency), and then it would disappear,” Baddeley said.
Under Hamilton’s tutelage, he’s starting to see the light – “He’s really simplified it.”
So much so, that Baddeley is seeing results that have freed him up on the course.
“I feel probably the most relaxed, comfortable, positive I’ve been with my golf in five, six, seven years,” said Baddeley. “I’m just in a really nice spot right now.”
Baddeley’s short game was again brilliant on Thursday. He had 11 one-putt greens and took 23 putts overall. He also holed out from 38 yards on the short par-4 15th for eagle. He was still below average off the tee, hitting just seven of 14 greens, but he hit a few more greens than normal (13) and didn’t make a bogey.
“Overall, I’m very pleased and feeling very comfortable with where I’m at,” Baddeley said.

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2. THOSE GREENS WERE SPOT ON: Sometimes the greens are too fast, and sometimes they’re too slow. And other times, they're just right.
Take Thursday’s opening round of the Sanderson Farms Championship, for example. More than half the field broke par, and leader Roberto Castro rolled in 10 birdie putts in a course-record round of 62.
“The greens are a perfect speed for making putts,” said Bryce Molder, who had eight birdies and no bogeys and is tied for second at 8 under. “They’re not too hard to read … and they’re such a good speed.”
And that would be …
“They’re not fast enough that you’re going to have to worry too much about your speed. Sometimes we get firm and fast greens and they become troublesome.”
He’ll get no argument from Castro, who poured in a ton of 8- to 10-footers.
“These are some of the best greens on TOUR,” said Castro. “Last year, they had a little bit more rollout, so you had to be careful or you’d end up with 5 or 6 feet coming back. Good speed is you don’t feel like you have to hit it, but you’re never really worried about getting more than 3 or 4 feet past the hole. It’s a very comfortable speed.”

---

QUOTE OF THE DAY

That was the one bonus birdie today. It was 3-iron. That’s just a hole you’re trying to make par and scoot to the next tee. - Roberto Castro on his birdie 2 at the 220-yard, par-3 seventh hole.

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3. MONDAY QUALIFIER: Two years ago, Martin Flores was in the final group on Sunday at the Wells Fargo Championship, ultimately finishing third to champion J.B. Holmes. This week, he had to play his way into the field for the Sanderson Farms Championship, shooting an 8-under 64 to win the Monday four-spot qualifier at Deerfield Golf Club outside of Jackson.
He has made the most of his opportunity so far at CC of Jackson, firing an opening-round, 5-under 67.
“Monday qualifiers are difficult,” said Flores, who lost his card after five years on TOUR. “When you get in, you try to make the best of your opportunity.”
Just how competitive have the Monday qualifiers become? Flores shot a 64 two weeks ago in the Monday qualifier for the Shriners Hospital for Children Open, and he didn’t get in the tournament.

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4. WAIT FOR ME: Canadian Graham DeLaet got some interesting news via text message about 15 minutes before teeing off on Thursday. His wife, pregnant with twins, is now set to deliver via a planned Cesarean section on Tuesday, meaning he can stay and play the event.
“Obviously I would have got on a flight as soon as possible if the news had been any different, because they were thinking it was going to possibly happen tomorrow,” said DeLaet. “So that’s nice. Hopefully I can have a nice weekend here and enjoy the offseason with the new family.”
DeLaet has made a good start on that goal, firing a 6-under 66 that included eight birdies.

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Russell Knox only two behind at halfway

Kisner takes two-shot lead from Russell Knox

 Classy Kisner edges clear in Shanghai
American Kevin Kisner opened up a two shot lead at the halfway mark of the WGC-HSBC Champions courtesy of a bogey-free six under par round of 66 in Shanghai, with Scotland’s Russell Knox and South African Branden Grace also well placed going into the weekend.
Kisner, who is making his debut in the tournament, picked up two shots over the last three holes at Sheshan International Golf Club to add to the four birdies he gained on the front nine as he moved to 14 under par and past Knox at the top of the leaderboard.
After gaining a late spot in the field having been seventh reserve, Knox is making the most of his unexpected opportunity, setting the clubhouse target on 12 under par with a flawless seven under par round of 65 before being overtaken by Kisner.
First round leader Grace is a further two shots back in third place on ten under par after his one under par round of 71, with American Patrick Reed (70) and China’s Li Hao-tong (69) sharing fourth place on nine under par.
Four-time Major Champion Rory McIlroy, whose preparation for the tournament was hampered by food poisoning earlier this week, was unable to make any progress, signing for a level par round of 72 to remain on four under par, ten shots back and in a share of 27th position.

Key player quotes

Kevin Kisner, 66 (-14 total):
“It’s beyond my expectations. I had no expectations coming in, so it’s been good. I’m making a lot of putts and that’s fun keeping the round going when I miss a green. I’m looking forward to the weekend.
“It is tough to get it in the fairway. Every hole seems to be a crosswind, especially on that back nine. Trying to get the angle of the fairway with the crosswind is difficult and the rough is up, but when I missed them, I made par and when I hit them I made some birdies. Hopefully I can keep that game plan going this weekend.”
Russell Knox, 65 (-12 total):          
“I played nicely in Malaysia last week and getting in here was obviously a bonus. I found out on Friday via e-mail when they said there was a chance I could get in. My wife was a superstar and she filled out all the forms for us, and while we were playing on Friday, she took all the stuff to the Chinese embassy in Kuala Lumpur and had all the stuff processed. Then we had to wait around until Monday at 2pm to get them back and they gave us our passports. Then we flew here on Tuesday morning here.”

Branden Grace, 71 (-10 total)
“It was tough out there. The wind was blowing. It’s hard, as most of these holes are tree-lined, so it’s tough to really trust the wind. I think that’s one of the things I struggled with on the back nine. I played pretty well through ten holes and didn’t really make mistakes, but maybe lost a little bit of concentration and then you’re going to let a couple slip out there. But I’m still up there. It would’ve been nice for a couple of putts to go in towards the end, but I think I’m only a few back. It’s still I long weekend ahead.”
Rory McIlroy, 72 (-4 total):
“I didn’t play very well today. I was just a bit flat out there. I’ve left myself a lot to do over the weekend, but hopefully I can shoot a couple of good scores and get myself back up the leaderboard. I wouldn't say I’m 100 per cent. I struggled to hit balls today on the range, got a few cramps in the stomach. But I took a couple of tablets and it sort of went away as I went through the round. I’m still not 100 per cent, but I’m getting there.”


SECOND ROUND SCORES
Par 144 (2x72)
130 K Kisner (USA) 64 66,
 132 R Knox (Sco) 67 65,
 134 B Grace  (RSA) 63 71,
 135 P Reed (USA) 65 70, L Haotong (Chn) 66 69,
 136 B Wiesberger  (Aut) 70 66, H Mahan  (USA) 68 68, D Johnson (USA) 65 71,
 137 B An (Kor) 69 68, L Oosthuizen  (RSA) 68 69, M Fitzpatrick  (Eng) 68 69, S Hend (Aus) 68 69,
 138 R Fisher (Eng) 69 69, S Garcia  (Esp) 68 70, H English (USA) 67 71, T Fleetwood  (Eng) 67 71, T Olesen (Den) 64 74, T Pieters  (Bel) 67 71,
 139 D Willett  (Eng) 65 74, S Bowditch (Aus) 64 75, Z Xinjun (Chn) 67 72, J Morrison  (Eng) 69 70, D Berger (USA) 68 71, K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 69 70, P Casey  (Eng) 67 72, S Kjeldsen (Den) 68 71,
 140 T Jaidee (Tha) 72 68, M Kaymer (Ger) 69 71, J Spieth  (USA) 68 72, C Schwartzel  (RSA) 68 72, G Woodland (USA) 69 71, R Lee (Can) 68 72, E Grillo (Arg) 69 71, R Fowler  (USA) 68 72, R McIlroy  (Nir) 68 72, L Donald  (Eng) 71 69,
 141 D Zecheng (Chn) 70 71, S Chawrasia (Ind) 69 72, T Aiken (RSA) 70 71, J Thomas (USA) 72 69, M Leishman (Aus) 69 72, L Westwood (Eng) 72 69, H Stenson (Swe) 69 72, T Fisher Jnr (RSA) 67 74, D Howell (Eng) 73 68, B Watson (USA) 68 73,
 142 D Lingmerth (Swe) 70 72, D Summerhays (USA) 68 74, R Streb (USA) 73 69,
 143 W Ashun (Chn) 69 74, S Piercy (USA) 70 73, I Poulter (Eng) 72 71,
 144 H Matsuyama  (Jpn) 71 73, A Sullivan (Eng) 70 74, K Na (USA) 72 72, L Wenchong (Chn) 71 73, C Wood  (Eng) 68 76, C Smith (Aus) 71 73, M Jones (Aus) 74 70, D Lee  (Nzl) 71 73,
 145 K Kim (Kor) 74 71, A Lahiri (Ind) 70 75, N Cullen (Aus) 74 71, D Chia (Mas) 72 73, M Jiménez (Esp) 73 72,
 146 A Noren  (Swe) 70 76, G Chalmers (Aus) 73 73, T Hatton (Eng) 70 76,
 147 H Iwata (Jpn) 70 77,
 148 C Yi (Chn) 70 78,
 149 M Warren (Sco) 75 74, S Lowry  (Irl) 74 75,
 150 A Dodt (Aus) 70 80, C Kirk (USA) 71 79, D Van Tonder  (RSA) 77 73, S Kodaira (Jpn) 74 76,
 151 A Scott  (Aus) 75 76,
 154 S Jeffress (Aus) 76 78,


EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS