Stewart feels Knox will be a good bet for Birkdale

Duncan Stewart believes his best friend Russell Knox is about to break out of his first career slump and has every chance to win the Open at Royal Birkdale next week.

Knox missed the cut by a shot in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open while Grantown-onSpey’s Stewart played all four rounds, finishing in a tie for 55th at Dundonald, a par round of 72 completing his weekend yesterday.

“Russell is extremely frustrated at the moment,” said Stewart.

“He knows he’s a far better player than the results he’s getting just now. It’s not like he’s hitting horrendous shots, it’s just golf being golf to him at the moment. It’s the first down spell he’s had since he broke through and he knew that was always going to come.

“It’s lasted longer than he would have wanted, but I really think Birkdale will suit him.

“He hits it so straight that if he can get off to a good start and build some momentum he can definitely be in contention at the weekend.”

Richie Ramsay finished the top home player for the second year in a row at the Scottish but that was of little consolation to him.

Ramsay closed with two rounds of 72 over the weekend for a two-under total to follow his second place in the Irish Open last week, which booked his place at Birkdale.

“It didn’t match the standards I set for myself, so it doesn’t matter to me that I’ve finished top Scot,” he said.

“I’ve left at least three shots out there, and three a round is the difference between this and being right in contention.”

Stephen Gallacher repaired some of the damage of his 79 in the Saturday storms by being 10 shots better on the final day, finishing at level par 288 for the championship in a tie for 45th place. Left: Duncan Stewart tees off at the 11th hole.