By Jay Betsill
Russell Knox won the HSBC Champions at Sheshan International in Shanghai and became the first player to win in his World Golf Championship debut.
The WGCs are a group of four annual events — the Cadillac Championship at Doral, the Dell Championship in Austin, Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone and the HSBC Champions — for professional golfers created by the International Federation of PGA Tours and, along with The Players Championship, are the most prestigious events in professional golf outside of the four major championships. All four WGC tournaments are official money events on the PGA Tour and European Tour.
“Everyone who wins this tournament is a superstar,” said Knox, the 30-year-old from Scotland who had never won in 92 previous tournaments on the PGA Tour. “I knew this would be the hardest day in my life …I always thought I was going to win a big one for my first one, but this is going to take a long time to sink in.”
For the win, Knox earned $1.4 million, along with an invitation to the Masters in April.
Dallas resident Jordan Spieth would tie for seventh, and move back to No. 1 in the world.
“Everyone is pushing each other a little bit, and when that No. 1 ranking slips away, it leaves some unrest in you, and you really want to get back at it,” Spieth said.
The next stop on the PGA Tour is the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in Playa del Carmen, México. The field includes Keegan Bradley, Matt Kuchar, Chad Campbell, Harris English, Jason Dufner, Jerry Kelly, Graeme MacDowell, Kyle Stanley, Boo Weekley and defending champion Charley Hoffman.
NOTES
— Peter Malnati claimed his first PGA Tour victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson. Read about it here
— The Champions Tour has added a new playoffs system that will determine the season-long champion. Joining the Dominion Charity Classic and Charles Schwab Cup Championship will be the new PowerShares QQQ Championship at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, CA. Read about it here
— Phil Mickelson has split from his coach Butch Harmon after eight years. Read about it here
— Tiger Woods’ longtime caddie Steve Williams wrote a new book about his time with the 14-time major winner. Read about it here
— Phil Mickelson has fallen out of the Top 25 for the first time since 1995. Read about it here
