Knox sees silver lining

Scot says Gullane horror show is blessing in disguise ahead of Open championship tilt

“Now I can really just hit the reset button and get on with it this week”

Russell Knox will try to use his horror finish at the Scottish Open as a wake-up call as he switches his attention to the Open championship at Carnoustie.

The Inverness golfer will have the eyes of the world watching him in the 147 th edition of the tournament this week after being drawn with Tiger Woods for the first two rounds.

Stonehaven amateur Sam Locke will play alongside Brandt Snedeker and Cameron Davis while Sandy Lyle will have the honour of hitting the opening shot on Thursday.

Knox, who won the Irish Open a week ago, is looking to bounce back from a disappointing five-overpar 75 in his final round at Gullane on Sunday which ended his hopes of back-toback European Tour titles and believes his lapse could prove to be a blessing in disguise.

He said: “I’m actually delighted I played terrible on Sunday. It knocks me down to reality to be honest.

“Now I can really just hit the reset button and get on with it this week.

“If things had gone easily on Sunday, I played decent and not won I probably still would have felt it took more out of me.

“Sunday took nothing out of me, playing that bad. So I can just rest up the next couple of days and recharge for Carnoustie.

“Expectations? I don’t know. My goal is my best major finish.

“After coming tied 12th at the US Open a few weeks back, the goal is to beat that.”

Knox will take time to reacquaint himself with the Angus links course this week, adding: “I haven’t played Carnoustie in at least 15 years – probably more. It has been a long time – I think it was a Scottish boys or Scottish amateur championship.

“I’m sure once I get on to the ground it will come back to me.”

Knox will ease his way into this week’s tournament, having felt the effects of fatigue since his victory in Ireland earlier this month.

He added: “I’ll do something today and tomorrow but it will be very light.

“I’ve got no choice, with the amount of golf I’ve played. If I went out there and prepared like a madman I’d just be running myself into the ground.

There’s no magic recipe, you just need a bit of luck and good play.

“I’m links golf ready – my caddy keeps telling me.”

ON THE BALL: Inverness golfer Russell Knox is looking on the bright side as the Open looms