HSBC Champions Recap: Russell Knox Takes His First Tour Victory

Back on March 4, 2014, two days after losing in a playoff at the Honda Classic, Russell Knox wrote on his Facebook page: "Thank you very much for all the great messages. What a blast that was. Next time I'll get it!!! Thanks"

The Jacksonville University alum by way of Scotland never really had a "next time" until Sunday and, true to his word, this time he did, in fact, "get it." Knox broke free from a five-way tie to capture his first PGA Tour title–and a prestigious one at that–the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China.

Knox is 30 and thus broke the string of young 20-somethings winning the first three events of the 2015-16 season. But he became the fourth straight first-time winner, emerging in his 93rd tour start. (And when Peter Malnati won the rain-delayed Sanderson Farms Championship on Monday, that made it five first-time winners in five events.) The HSBC is the fourth and final WGC tourney of the year, jointly part of the PGA and European tours and, further, was the second event in the Euro tour's four-tournament Final Series.

All that alphabetizing conspired to bring together an elite field, the best since the PGA Championship in August, although Jason Day, Phil Mickelson and others were not on hand. Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson and many others, however, were in attendance. Yet Knox was clearly the best of the bunch all week at Sheshan International Golf Club. He shot 67-65-68-68 for 20-under 268, two shots better than another surprise, Kevin Kisner.

Knox, Kisner, Ross Fisher, Branden Grace and Danny Willett were all at 17-under when Knox birdied the 10th hole, and then the 11th, never to be headed. Not bad for an alternate who got into the field only after J.B. Holmes withdrew.

Despite two successful seasons, Knox had never won on the tour. He has gone from 179th in points in 2012 to 166th in 2013, then 40th and 34th the last two seasons. His best showing was that four-way playoff at the Honda with McIlroy, Ryan Palmer and eventual winner Russell Henley. Knox would've won with a birdie on the par-5 18th at PGA National. (Note to gamers: Knox also placed third last season at the Honda, so he should be a must start at the 2016 event in March.)

Knox will climb from 85th in the world to 31st, ensuring he'll end the year in the top 50. That and the victory will change his schedule markedly, as he'll get into the 2016-opening Tournament of Champions, the Masters and other big events.

It's all a far cry from growing up in Inverness, Scotland, near Loch Ness Lake–yes, that Loch Ness–before making a name for himself at Jacksonville University. (Knox chose the Florida school in large part because it wasn't cold there.) It was there he met golf coach Mike Flemming. Knox was thinking back to his college days on Sunday, and to Flemming, who had had so much impact on the young golfer and who passed away shortly after that terrific Honda showing two years ago.

"I thought about him throughout the day, to be honest," Knox said, according to PGATour.com, as his eyes filled with tears. "I thought about him on the 18th when I had to tap in to win, and my eyes started tearing up as they probably will now. But yeah, I mean, I owe him everything. He was my coach for eight years, and he passed away a couple years ago. He's been my inspiration and he taught me everything I know. It finally paid off."

Yes indeed. This time, Knox finally did get it done.

MONDAY TAKEAWAY

Kevin Kisner

Where there's smoke, there's Kisner. The 31-year-old former Georgia Bulldog famously lost three playoffs last season, and he was runner-up again on Sunday. No shame in that, as Knox was simply better this time. But can a win be far behind for this emerging player? After meandering his way around the PGA Tour since 2011, a switch clicked for Kisner last season. Before 2014-15, he had never had a top-5 finish. Now, he has four runner-ups in seven months.

Danny Willett

Willett blistered Sheshan with a 10-under 62 on Sunday, as he continues to make inroads on a worldwide stage. He first came onto the radar of many American golf fans with his strong showing in the Match Play Championships earlier this year, and now has another third-place showing in a WGC event. The 28-year-old Englishman is a three-time winner in Europe and, while he turned down PGA Tour membership, he still has strong value for the majors and remaining WGCs. He's also in contention for the Race to Dubai and, if not for Kisner's final-hole birdie, Willett would've overtaken McIlroy for the lead.

Brandon Grace

Unlike Willett, Grace accepted PGA membership this season, upping his value significantly. He's a year younger than Willett, but the South African is far more established, having 11 worldwide wins, though none in the U.S. Expectations have been high for Grace for years, but after two top-5 finishes in majors this year, along with a tie for fifth in the HSBC, he's finally coming through. He surely could be a difference maker on someone's roster.

Dustin Johnson

Many of us who woke up to check the results from China saw a crushing double bogey on Johnson's scorecard–on a par 5, no less–seemingly yet another Sunday DJ meltdown. But Johnson's third shot on the eighth hole actually hit the stick and, instead of a kick-in birdie, the ball rolled back into a creek for a brutal turn of events. Another bogey on 10 finished him, and he wound up tied for fifth, four strokes behind Knox. Johnson was on his game before the critical moment, but we'll never know if he would've had one of his commonplace unforced errors later on in the round.

Jordan Spieth

With a 63 on Saturday, Spieth came from way back to put himself in the mix, and you wouldn't have been wrong to think he could win the tournament on Sunday. But an opening bogey and another one four holes later dashed those thoughts. Even the best of the best can't do it every time, especially with golf deeper than ever. So Spieth settled for a T7, five shots back and, oh yeah, a Monday return to the No. 1 ranking, leap-frogging Day yet again.

Haotong Li

China is known for a lot of things, but golf isn't one of them. Still, with the largest population on Earth, it certainly has the resources to compete. Perhaps like Li Na becoming a top-5 player on the women's tennis circuit, the 20-year-old Li could be his country's first golf star. Animated and a crowd favorite, Li began Sunday a shot off the lead only to implode at the start with a bogey and double bogey. But he held it together enough to tie for seventh, the highest PGA finish ever for a China-born golfer. Li will also be in this week's European Final Series BMW Masters, and it's on his home course, also in Shanghai. Li is now up to No. 172 in the world, and can majors and WGCs be far behind for the four-time winner in China?

Rory McIlroy

McIlroy's week began with food poisoning courtesy of a chicken sandwich in Shanghai. Still, he tied for 11th, closing with his best round of the week, a 6-under 66. That follows a T6 in the first European Final Series event in Turkey, and he remains in first place in the Race to Dubai. While McIlroy will skip this week's BMW Masters, he'll return for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.

Sanderson Farms Championship

Peter Malnati

A rookie in 2014, Malnati couldn't keep his card, went back to the Web.com Tour and got better. Now it looks as if he's here to stay. The 28-year-old closed with a 5-under 67 for a one-stroke win over two others, and he did it by leading the field in strokes gained: putting. Even though this was an opposite-field event, that's the kind of stat that transfers well to any tournament.

David Toms

Playing alongside golfers young enough to be his sons, the soon-to-be 49-year-old finished a shot back of Malnati. It was Toms' second close call in three months, the other coming in August's Barracuda Championship. Perhaps it's no coincidence that both tournaments were opposite-field events, but as Toms eyed his first win since 2011, that's still a pretty lofty accomplishment for the veteran.

Patton Kizzire

The Web.com Tour's leading money last season tied for fourth at the Country Club of Jackson (Miss.), after tying for second at the Shriners Open. That's quite a start to the season, and Kizzire is showing he can be an important part of a fantasy team.

Roberto Castro

Castro led for much of the tournament before faltering a bit at the end of the third round. Still, a tie for fourth was the second-best showing of his career, bested only by a solo second at the 2013 AT&T National. That was the year Castro came out of nowhere to make the Tour Championship. But he fell on hard times after that, and even lost his card. Now that he's got it back, he's well on his way to keeping it and being a decent fantasy option.