Opportunity Knox for hometown golfer
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INVERNESS golfer Russell Knox will be the great home hope at this week’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Castle Stuart.
The European Tour event returns to the Highland links for the first time in three years, with a host of Moray golf fans set to make the short trip west to see some of the sports biggest names play.
Knox (31) was born and brought up in Inverness, just a long drive away from Castle Stuart, before making a name for himself in the United States after gaining a golf scholarship in Florida as a teenager.
His performances on the US tour have seen him climb to the dizzying heights of world number 27, boosted by his victory in last year’s World Golf Championship.
This week he plays in his third Scottish Open and the first time in his home area.
"Growing up, my dad used to take us down to Gleneagles to watch The Scottish Open," Knox recalled. "Getting to play here at Castle Stuart and Inverness is an unbelievable feeling.
"The whole journey has been crazy the last couple years, and I mean, I just hope I never wake up and it keeps going."
Knox recently played alongside Rory McIlroy in the Irish Open and watched the Northern Irishman gain great support from his own country.
He doesn’t expect to get quite the same backing at Castle Stuart but believes a Highland backing can increase his chances of doing well.
"If I could get half the support that he (McIlroy) received there in Ireland, I’d be thrilled. It would be an honour to get in the mix with a chance to win obviously. But either way, it’s going to be incredible.
"I hope to see a lot of old friends that I haven’t seen in a long time."
Major names playing in the competition include European Ryder Cup stars Henrik Stenson, Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer.
Multiple major winner Phil Mickelsen and Patrick Reed are among the big American stars playing.
