Russell Knox to hear about Scottish Open homecoming

Russell Knox is now Scotland's second top-ranked player. Picture: AP

The 28-year-old Florida-based player is now Scotland’s second top-ranked player behind 39th-placed Stephen Gallacher after jumping ten spots to 98th in the latest global standings.

It follows Knox finishing in a tie for tenth behind Matt Kuchar in the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head – his third top 10 this season on the PGA Tour, where he has now won more than $1 million (£595,000) this year.

With his card secured for next season, Knox, who finished last year lying 245th in the world, is now keen to make an appearance back on home soil so has asked the European Tour for a sponsor’s spot in the Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen in July.

“I can confirm that Russell has requested an invitation and that will be considered by ourselves along with representatives of the Scottish Government and Aberdeen Asset Management in two weeks’ time,” said championship director Peter Adams.

“I don’t want to pre-empt anything, but Russell is certainly an interesting candidate and has a good profile at the moment. We have eight invitations in total and have a couple we are intending to hand out, though no firm conclusions will be made until the upcoming meeting.”

Knox, who has missed just two cuts in 14 events this season, is sitting 25th in the FedEx Cup standings with earnings of $1,136,721-$300,000 (£676,430- £178,521) more than he earned in 2012 and 2013 combined on the PGA Tour.

“It was a little goal of mine to get past the one million dollar mark and I could have done that with a putt in San Antonio [in the Valero Texas Open],” said the Invernesian. “But then winning the Honda Classic [he lost out in a play-off] would have also taken care of that, and I guess it’s just a reflection of how well I have been playing this year.”

Also playing well this season on the Champions Tour is Colin Montgomerie, who chalked up his fifth top ten in five starts behind winning debutant Miguel Angel Jimenez in the Greater Gwinnet Championship in Duluth, Georgia.

The 50-year-old, who tied for eighth this time after rounds of 70, 72 and 68, has now won more than $325,000 (£193,431) on the US-based over-50s circuit this season to lie seventh on the money-list. The Insperity Invitational, an event in Texas boasting a $2 million (£1,190,406) prize fund, is next up on the Champions Tour before it stages back-to-back majors – the Regions Tradition at Shoal Creek in Alabama then the PGA Championship at Harbor Shores in Michigan.