Knox grinds it out to stay in the chase
HIT so hard by the bus that he was away with the fairies. Russell Knox has a way with words almost equal to his skills as a golfer.
On a day when Connor Syme’s course record lasted just a few hours and a number of other Scots caught the eye, US-based Knox claimed oratorical honours with his description of the unorthodox mental approach that helped him maintain his Scottish Open challenge.
Expounding on a theory that would have sports psychologists reaching for their worry beads and retreating to their happy place, the newly-crowned Irish Open champion — playing in his fourth straight event — said yesterday’s 67 was ‘probably my best round of the year’.
The Inverness-born PGA Tour star added: ‘After about three holes I felt like I’d got hit by a bus and I couldn’t focus all day. It was kind of weird.
‘My whole body aches from head to toe and that’s the first day that’s happened, so I’ll be going to the physio after this.
‘But I’ve obviously been doing this for a while, so I know what to do. I tried to just completely check out after I’d hit.
‘I just went away with the fairies. Then, when it was my time to hit, I’d flick the switch and get into it as much as I could.
‘You can’t concentrate for five hours out there feeling like this. But, if you can concentrate for ten seconds standing over the ball, hopefully 67 times or less, then I can pull through.
‘In between those moments I was thinking about everything from cheeseburgers and lasagne to whether I’m going to nap for two hours or three after the round. Whatever gets you through it.
‘I’d said at the start of the week that at some point I would crash and burn, and that might have just happened. So I was proud of myself with the way I hung in there.’
Syme, teeing off in the third group of the day at 6.50am, tore up the composite course here to set a new record of 62 until Japan’s Hideto Tanihara went one better late in the afternoon with a round of 61.
And he admitted that, however fleetingly, the thought of a magical 59 did pass through his mind.
The former amateur star reached the turn in 29 and said afterwards: ‘I did think about it (the 59) briefly, going down the tenth.
‘But I knew shooting 30 on the back nine would have taken some going. There are a few very tough holes, tough tee shots.
‘I didn’t play my best on 12, 13 and 14. I was obviously happy just to keep mistakes off the card.
‘I wasn’t actually thinking about the course record to be honest. To have a five-under round to make the cut was the main goal.’
Syme lost his ball on the first hole on Thursday, his mistake off the tee contributing to an ugly opening 71.
‘I felt sick going up the first yesterday,’ he said. ‘There were about 40 people trying to help us find the ball and we didn’t find it, which was frustrating.
‘I made a couple of brain-dead decisions but learned from them, because there weren’t any today. It gives me a platform to build on.’
Asked about birthday presents, Syme, who turned 20 on Tuesday, admitted: ‘It’s hard to buy for me. If they could buy me 62s, I’d take that every year.’
Knox and Syme are tied on seven under, with Duncan Stewart a shot further back.