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THE 147TH OPEN

July 20, 2018

Russell Knox

Angus, Scotland, United Kingdom

Q. Russell, your thoughts on that round today?
RUSSELL KNOX: I mean, I battled as hard as I could. I was useless, though. I think the last eight weeks caught up with me the last few days, and I just ran out of gas. I felt great on the course, but my swing just disappeared.

I mean, I can count on two hands how many shots I mis-hit in a week at most tournaments. I think the last two days I can count on one hand how many really good shots I hit. So I just didn't have it. I battled away. I dug as deep as I could in my short game, and putting was incredible, and that kept me with a fighting chance. But my long game was hopeless.

Q. You were like the great Scottish hope, if you like, before you came into this tournament? Did you feel extra pressure in front of a home crowd as well?
RUSSELL KNOX: No, I felt no pressure when it came to that. I put enough pressure on myself just playing normally. I felt like I was just enjoying it, and I did. I can say 100 percent I enjoyed my two days playing. I tried 100 percent on every single shot. I just wasn't good enough this week, unfortunately. I wish I could have been a little fresher, but at the same time, I've put everything I had into this round. Disappointing to end in a missed cut. But I did get a trophy, so that was nice.

Q. You talked yesterday about the Tiger effect and how you could have felt, obviously, playing with your big hero wasn't maybe to your benefit. Was that again in round 2? Was that the same?
RUSSELL KNOX: I didn't feel anything like that today. The conditions were so hard. Yeah, I was over it. Tiger, who's that? (Laughter).

No, I didn't feel any of that today. I think I got it out of the way yesterday. The conditions were so difficult starting out today in the rain. I mean, you're just trying to put one foot in front of the other. There was no time to think, oh, I'm playing with Tiger. It was just battling away from the get-go. Obviously, the rain finally stopped, but it was unfortunate to have to play in those conditions.

Q. Russell, do you think it's important to get the Tiger effect out of your system? Because you're going to be going to the Ryder Cup (inaudible). Is this kind of an important experience?
RUSSELL KNOX: I think so. You're only going to ever get to play the first time with him once, and that was mine. So, yeah, I think it's important. We chatted away. He was nice to me. I was nice to him, I think. So I enjoyed my time out there. I enjoyed watching him play. He's Tiger Woods for a reason. He hit some incredible shots and just picked his way around the course well.

So, yeah, I think it was important to get it out of the way, and next time I'll bury him. (Laughter).

Q. You've spoken about how the last seven weeks caught up with you this week. Obviously, you want to get into the Ryder Cup team, and you've got a big schedule between now and then? Is there going to be any opportunity to get some downtime before then?
RUSSELL KNOX: I got this weekend off, so that's a start. (Laughter). I'm going back to the States. It's a busy week for everyone. I set my schedule this way for a reason to try to play myself into form, which was great. So that was encouraging. I'll have a week off, probably play two weeks, have a week off, and then probably three weeks. So there's a lot more golf there. But I mean, I've got to suck it up and get on with it.

I mean, the weather today probably didn't help. I mean, my back felt tight most of the day, just cold and damp and wet. But I mean, like I said, I battled away. It just wasn't meant to be.

Q. Everyone says they want to play in the Ryder Cup, but describe your determination to finish the job off at the back end of the season and get into one.
RUSSELL KNOX: It's important to me. I said a couple of weeks ago in Scotland, I was like, it's not a goal of mine as such as it's a reward. So I mean, my goal was to play good this week to try and have my best major finish, and my goal is to play well in this event. Ryder Cup is a reward for good play. Of course, it's on my goal list, but I'm not focusing on it. I'm focusing on each event and trying to finish off the season in the U.S., the FedExCup high.

So the Ryder Cup, of course, is there. It's like a little diamond hanging there at the end, but I've got to take care of a lot of business before that.

Q. Are you going to relax now? Are you going to hang out in Scotland for a bit or go back to the States?
RUSSELL KNOX: Start up my G5 right now at the airport. I'll be home in about eight hours. No, I wish. I don't know. I had a flight booked on Monday. Maybe I'll leave Sunday. I'm not sure. It will be nice to go home. I'm fed up wearing the same clothes for the last six weeks packed in my bag. So we'll see.

Q. What do you wear at home?
RUSSELL KNOX: Not very much. I've got this nice robe. I'm a good pajama guy. Slippers, of course.

Q. You must be pleased to go back with trophy in your tournament here in Europe?
RUSSELL KNOX: Yes. No, I am pleased. Of course I'm not going to be delighted by this week, but I can't just focus on this week. It has been an amazing run. I qualified for the U.S. Open through Thursday's whole qualifier finishing birdie, birdie, birdie, par, birdie, and then I finished 12th. So that all kick-started it. And then, of course, winning is so difficult. I played in, I guess, 200 events as a pro probably, and I've won three times. So you have to allow those moments to soak in because you just never know when they're coming.

So I'll leave this trip not disappointed about sucking this week, but I mean, remembering how good I was the last few weeks.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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