8am Round-Up: Russell Knox climbs back up world rankings after return to form

Russell Knox halted his slide down the world rankings after returning to form with a top-five finish behind Hideki Matsuyama in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

AKRON, OH - AUGUST 06: Russell Knox of Scotland hits off the sixth tee during the final round of the World Golf Championships - Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club South Course on August 6, 2017 in Akron, Ohio. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

The Scottish No 1 is up nine spots to 41st in the latest standings after produding his best performance since finishing third in the Mayakoba Classic on the PGA Tour towards the end of last year.

“It was nice to remember what to do,” said Knox, who’d missed the cut in his three previous starts, including the Scottish Open and The Open.

The 31-year-old shot rounds of 66-71-68-68 for a seven-under-par total at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, where he finished alongside Rory McIlroy in joint-fifth.

Knox finished bogey-bogey to miss out on claiming third spot, but he had no complaints about a welcome return to form heading into the season’s final major, the US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow this week.

“I played very well at times, which was nice,” he added. “I haven’t seen that in a while. It was nice to get in the mix and feel the nerves again.

“I’m obviously a little disappointed finishing bogey‑bogey and just got a little unlucky on both holes. All in all, it was a pretty decent effort and I probably would have taken it at the start of the week.”

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Chris Stroud won a three-man play-off to win his first PGA Tour event, the Barracuda Championship, in Nevada.

The American beat compatriot Richy Werenski and England’s Greg Owen after the trio finished with 44 points in the tournament at Reno’s Montreux Golf and Country Club.

Owen held a five-point lead going into the final round but only forced his way into the play-off with a birdie on the final hole.

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Paul Goydos beat fellow American Gene Sauers at the first play-off hole to win the 3M Championship on the Champions Tour.

The pair had tied on 20-under-par after 54 holes in Blaine, Minnesota, where Colin Montgomerie finished seven shots behind in a tie for 18th.

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Former European Tour player Alastair Forsyth claimed his sixth Tartan Tour triumph of the season with victory in the Sandyhills Pro-Am.

The Mearns Castle Golf Academy player carded a five-under 65 at the Glasgow course to finish a shot ahead of Kilmacolm’s Michael Patterson.

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Paul Howard won his first European Challenge Tour title after the fourth round of the Vierumäki Finnish Challenge was cancelled following heavy rain in Finland.

The Englishman went into the final day with a two-shot lead after rounds of 68-65-66 before being overtaken after playing seven holes.

But, after torrential rain flooded the course at Vierumäki Resort, the decision was taken to reduce the tournament to 54 holes.

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Hist club pro Tom Higson took the individual title at the second Gleneagles International Pro-Am.

Higson claimed victory with a six-under-par total in the 54-holes, finishing nine shots ahead of fellow Gleneagles professional Calum Lawson.

“I’ve won pro-ams all over the globe, from America to Asia,” said the 29-year-old.

“But winning on home turf at Gleneagles, which also happens to be one of the most prestigious golf venues in the world, made this victory particularly special.”

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Todd Clements, a 20-year-old from Braintree in Essex, is the new English Amateur champion.

He claimed the title after beating Jack Gaunt 2&1 in the 36-hole final at the Berkshire.

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The R&A and Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) have announced that the first ever Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific golf championship will be played at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore in February.

The inaugural event will take place at the New Tanjong course and will provide the most talented women’s amateur golfers in the region with the opportunity to earn an invitation to play in both the Ricoh Women’s British Open and the ANA Inspiration.

“One of our overriding objectives is to identify opportunities to further develop and grow women’s amateur golf in key regions around the world,” said R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers.

“The Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific offers the chance for the region’s best amateur golfers to aspire to compete at the highest level.”

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Edinburgh-based Shot Scope Technologies has launchd its second-generation golf wearable, Shot Scope V2.

The new product combines front/middle/back GPS with Shot Scope’s industry-leading Performance Tracking.

Shot Scope, founded in 2014 by West Lothian David Hunter, has created 17 jobs within Edinburgh and works exclusively with local businesses to produce the product.