9am Round-Up: Russell Knox one off lead in Connecticut

Ryder Cup contender Russell Knox is just one shot off the lead heading into the final two rounds of the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.
Russell Knox acknowledges the crowd on his way to a second successive 67 in the Travelers Championship. Picture: Getty ImagesRussell Knox acknowledges the crowd on his way to a second successive 67 in the Travelers Championship. Picture: Getty Images
Russell Knox acknowledges the crowd on his way to a second successive 67 in the Travelers Championship. Picture: Getty Images

The Scot, who is in the running for one of Darren Clarke’s wild cards for next month’s match at Hazeltine, carded a second successive 67 for a six-under-par halfway total.

He’s sitting joint-fifth at TPC River Highlands, where four players - South African Tyrone Van Aswegen, American duo Daniel Berger and Russell Henley and Australia’s Marc Leishman - are tied for the lead.

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Knox, who has maintained his form while other Ryder Cup contenders have gone off the boil, made his score with four birdies in six holes from the second.

“I hope I can make it,” said the Invernesian of trying to get into the Ryder Cup team. “I love match play and he (Clarke) knows that. But, if I don’t 12 people will deserve to be there ahead of me. So we will see what happens.”

Knox has had a gruelling summer schedule that included a trip home for both The Open and the Scottish Open.

But he insisted: “I’m a beast, man. I’m not tired. I’m ready to go I’ve waited all my life to do this and I love every minute of it.”

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Colin Montgomerie bounced back from the disappointment of missing the cut in the Senior Open at Carnoustie to sit close to the lead after the opening round of the 3M Championship.

The Scot opened with a six-under-par 66 in the Champions Tour event at TPC Twin Cities in Michigan to lie a shot behind American Glen Day in joint-second.

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Glencruitten’s Robert MacIntyre has the lead in his sights heading into the final round of the European Individual Amateur Championship in Estonia.

The 2015 Scottish champion carded a third-round 69 at the Estonian Golf Club for a nine-under-par 207 total.

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He’s sitting joint-third, four shots behind Viktor Hovland after the Norwegian catapulted himself into the lead with a spectacular 63.

Drumoig’s Connor Syme and Craig Ross from Kirkhill are also in the title hunt with a circuit to go in one of the leading events on the international circuit.

Syme, the Australian Amater champion, is sitting joint-seventh, five off the lead, after a third-round 67 that contained five birdies.

South African Amateur title-holder Ross, who’d shared the halfway lead, is a further shot back in joint-ninth after a 72.

Lying just outside the top 10 is Craigielaw’s Grant Forrest (71).

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Scotland lost out to Ireland in the title decider at the Girls’ Home Internationals at Conwy in North Wales.

The Scots led 2-1 after the morning foursomes before Shannon McWilliam beat Miread Martin 3&1 in the top singles match.

But Ireland hit back to come out on top in the next four matches in the order to claim the under-18s title for the first time.

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“Proud of the @ScottishGolf girls,” tweeted national coach David Patrick. “Heartbreaking to lose Homes by 1/2 point. Great attitude, effort & sportsmanship.”

At the same venue, Scotland salvaged some pride in the ladies’ equivalent with a 5-4 win over Ireland in their final match.

England won that title for the third year in a row and fifth time in six years.

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Madrid Challenge winner Duncan Stewart is the leading Scot at the halfway stage in the Swedish Challenge hosted by Robert Karlsson.

Stewart, who is attached to Turnhouse, followed up an opening 70 with a 68 to sit joint-seventh, three shots behind the leader, home player Jeff Karlsson.

Scott Henry (72-69) is six shots off the pace at Katrineholms GK.

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Downfield’s Graham Bell was pipped in a play-off by American Chip Lutz in the Seniors Amateur Championship.

The title shoot-out at Formby also included Brady Exber, another American, after the trio had posted matching 54-hole totals of 220, four-over-par.

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The play-off was over the 18th and Lutz won the title, his third in this event, in style by holing a 25-foot birdie putt.

Bell drove into a bunker and took 5 and Exber left his birdie putt short.

“It’s been a fantastic experience,” said Bell. “I had a good day today and a great few days.”

Two other Scots - Royal Burgess man John Fraser and Ronnie Clark from Erskine - finished joint-fifth on 223.

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Dunbar’s Neil Fenwick finished as top Scot in the PGA EuroPro Tour’s World Snooker Golf Masters at Army Golf Club.

He closed with a 70 to end up in a share of joint-23rd on one-under, seven shots behind winner Chris Gane.

The Englishman beat Irishman Jonathan Caldwell in a play-off to claim the title at the Aldershot venue.