Knox fires into contention

CIMB CLASSIC: Scotsman three strokes off the pace after carding 63

WITH a title defence coming up next week, Russell Knox soared into contention at the CIMB Classic yesterday with the best round of the tournament so far.

Scotland’s Knox shot a nine-under 63 to add to his 70 in the first round for an 11-under 133 total in a threeway tie for third, three strokes behind leader and defending champion Justin Thomas at the halfway mark.

An unblemished round containing nine birdies put Knox in sight of his third US PGA Tour title to follow his wins at the World Golf Championship-HSBC Champions and Travellers Championship last season.

Knox, 31, cannot wait to defend his HSBC Champions title next week in Shanghai, where he won his first PGA Tour event.

“I’m really looking forward to next week. This week is all about gaining some momentum for next week,” said World No 20 Knox, playing his first tournament since the PGA Tour Championship last month.

“I’ve never had a chance to defend a professional tournament before, so next week will be a thrill. That was great today. I knew after two-under (on Thursday), I needed a super round in order to get back into it as the conditions will probably be pretty amazing all week. I needed that.”

Knox, who sank six birdies on the back-nine before salvaging par on the 18th, was surprised with how well he putted but did not expect to go beyond six-under for the second round.

“I thought I could shoot maybe five or six-under, that would be a great score, and then I just started making putts after putts. Got on a nice little roll there and very pleased with my score,” he said.

“That was a nice par to make on the last hole. I didn’t make a bogey all day, so that was always a goal of mine. I got a little unlucky with my tee shot. Was in a bad position. So to make five on the last hole makes lunch taste real nice.”

Knox realises he needs to continue playing well to have a chance at winning the tournament and has to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the TPC Kuala Lumpur course.

“This course, because of the conditions, you have to make loads of birdies. So aim at the pin and try and hole the putts,” said Knox, the first Scottish golfer to win a WGC event.

“There’s still four or five like hard holes out here, so you’ve got to be patient on those ones. You just have a lot of wedges on the par fives. You have to take care of the easy holes, so to say.

“You have to birdie the par fives and you have loads of wedges, so you know you’re going to have lot of birdie putts. You’ve just got to kind of believe that you can make six or seven, eight, nine birdies.” 130: 132: 133:

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