The Scotsman Russell Knox is the new champion of the HSBC Champions, the last tournament of the World Golf Series held in Shanghai (China). The European has taken two strokes ahead of the American Kevin Kisner. The tournament also helped Jordan Spieth to regain the number one position in the world ranking, knocking Jason Day off that throne. Spieth finished seventh in the Shanghai tournament.
“I always thought that at some point I would win a big tournament, but I am surprised that it happened now. I’m more than happy,” said the winner.
“It seems unbelievable, but I always thought my first win would be in a major tournament,” said Knox, referring to the four competitions grouped under the World Championship appellation, which are the most important on the circuit after the four tournaments that make up the Grand Slam.
The 30-year-old Scot decided on Saturday night, as authorized by the rules, not to play the 18th hole due to darkness. He returned to the course this Sunday at 07h45 local time, catching up with Kisner in the standings with -16.
Three hours later, the two golfers shared the last part of the course with American Dustin Johnson, third, one stroke behind the duo at the start.
Knox finished the final day with -4 (6 birdies and 2 bogeys) for a total of -20, while Kisner was content with -2 for a total of -18.
Englishman Danny Willett, with an extraordinary -10 in the last round, shared third place with his compatriot Ross Fisher.
After his great performance on Saturday (-9) world No. 2 Jordan Spieth was -2 on Sunday and shared seventh place with China’s Li Haotong, with a total of -15.
He consoled himself with the consolation of regaining the first place in the world to the detriment of Australian Jason Day, who was not in Shanghai due to the birth of his second child.
“It was one of my goals for the week,” Spieth noted.
World number 3, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, weighed down since the beginning of the week by food poisoning, reached a good pace on Sunday and finished with -6, for a total of -14, synonymous with 11th place, shared with Sergio Garcia and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson.
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