2016 Masters Field: Russell Knox joins the string of 2016 Masters rookies

When I began this rolling exercise to chronicle the Masters qualifying process, I didn't realize it was going to become a weekly chore.

But four weeks into the wrap-around PGA Tour season has produced a fourth first-time qualifier to compete at Augusta National. The only new wrinkle this week is it's not a fresh young rookie but a 30-year-old getting his long-awaited first victory.

Russell Knox, a native Scotsman on the PGA Tour by way of Jacksonville University, won the WGC-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai, China, by two strokes over Aiken golfer Kevin Kisner and an elite field of chasers including Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth.

"I always kind of thought I was going to win a big one for some reason as my first one," Knox said. "I've been close a few times before. But this is going to take a long time to sink in."

The breakthrough victory was an even bigger surprise considering Knox got into the field as an alternate and had to jump through some administrative hurdles just to get there. His wife had to scrmable to get the proper paperwrk for him to the field.

"When I did find out on Thursday last week in Malaysia (that I was in the field), my wife frantically had to fill out all the paperwork for myself and my caddie, Bradley. And when we played on Friday, she was at the Chinese Embassy all day in touch with my agent from IMG getting everything sorted," Knox said. "It was extremely hectic on her behalf, and she's a superstar and she's the reason I guess I'm sitting here right now."

Knox started the final round tied for the lead with Kisner after waking up early to finish his final hole of the third round with a birdie. In the final threesome with Kisner and former champion Dustin Johnson, Knox comfortably shot a 4-under 68 and took a 3-shot lead into the final hole.

"I tried not to watch Dustin play, especially the front nine, just because we were in two different worlds," Knox said. "He's hitting it 50 ,60 (yards) past me off the tee. So I just tried to concentrate on my own game. I think it was an advantage playing with Kevin Kisner, also, because our games are so similar, so I could focus on myself and Kevin's game."

When he tapped in for his par to win, Knox raised both hands to the heavens in celebration of his career achievement that opens doors for him, including the possibility to pick up his European Tour membership in order to potentially qualify for the European Ryder Cup team.

"I won on the Web.com a few years back and I didn't celebrate enough because it came very quickly to me," he said. "I didn't realize how difficult it was to win again. I will celebrate heavily, yes."

Prior to Knox winning, the first three PGA Tour events of the new season were won by first-time champions Emiliano Grillo, Smylie Kaufman and Justin Thomas. Knox is the first player in his 30s to win on the PGA Tour since J.J. Henry won in Reno in August.

Here's how recent first-time qualifiers made it to the 2016 Masters Tournament (see more first-time qualifier capsules below secured entry list):

Russell Knox, Scotland

AGE: 30

RANKING:  No. 85 in the OWGR before winning in China

HOW HE GOT THERE: Won the WGC-HSBC Champions in China.

   After narrowly failing to reach the Tour Championship, Knox picked up an even better avenue to reach his first Masters by winning his first World Golf Championship start after getting in as an alternate.

   "I always kind of thought I was going to win a big one for some reason as my first one," Knox said after his two-stroke win over Aiken's Kevin Kisner in Shanghai, China. "I've been close a few times before. But this is going to take a long time to sink in."

   Knox turned pro in 2007 after playing collegiately at Jacksonville State. He won a Nationwide Tour event in 2011 to help earn his PGA Tour card and the native Scot has never been a member of the European Tour. His previous best finish was a runner-up in the 2014 Honda Classic when he lost to Russell Henley in a four-man playoff that included Rory McIlroy and Ryan Palmer.

HE SAID IT: “I look forward to playing all the opportunities which this win creates. (Masters?) That's pretty cool."

CURRENT 2016 MASTERS FIELD

Updated through WGC-HSBC Champions in China

Here’s how the 74 players already qualified for the 2016 Masters got into the field (# signifies first-timers) :

CATEGORY 1 (19 players)

Masters Tournament Champions (Lifetime)

Angel Cabrera (1) - Argentina

Fred Couples (1)

Trevor Immelman (1) - South Africa

Zach Johnson (1, 3, 16)

Bernhard Langer (1) - Germany

Sandy Lyle (1) - Scotland

Phil Mickelson (1)

Larry Mize (1)

Mark O’Meara (1)

Jose Maria Olazabal (1) - Spain

Charl Schwartzel (1) - South Africa

Adam Scott (1, 12) - Australia

Vijay Singh (1) - Fiji

Jordan Spieth (1, 2, 13, 14, 15, 16)

Bubba Watson (1, 15, 16)

Tom Watson* (1)

Mike Weir (1) - Canada

Tiger Woods (1, 5)

Ian Woosnam (1) - Wales

CATEGORY 2 (4 players)

U.S. Open champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)

Rory McIlroy (2, 3, 4, 11, 15, 16) - Northern Ireland

Webb Simpson (2) -- through 2017

Justin Rose (2, 11, 14, 15, 16) - England -- through 2018

Martin Kaymer (2, 5) - Germany -- through 2019

CATEGORY 3 (2 players)

British Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)

Darren Clarke (3) - Northern Ireland -- through 2016

Ernie Els (3) - South Africa -- through 2017

CATEGORY 4 (3 players)

PGA Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)

Keegan Bradley (4, 13) -- through 2016

Jason Dufner (4) -- through 2018

Jason Day (4, 13, 15, 16) - Australia -- through 2020

CATEGORY 5 (1 players)

The Players Championship Winners (3 years)

Rickie Fowler (5, 11, 16) -- through 2018

CATEGORY 6 A&B (2 players)

Current U.S. Amateur champion (A, Honorary, non-competing after 1 year) and runner-up (B)

#Bryson DeChambeau (5A)

#Derek Bard (6B)

CATEGORY 7 (1 player)

Current British Amateur Champion (Honorary, non-competing after 1 year)

#Romain Langasque (7) - France

CATEGORY 8 (1 player)

Current Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion

#Jin Cheng (8) - China

CATEGORY 9 (1 player)

Current Latin America Amateur Champion

TBD Jan. 17

CATEGORY 10 (1 player)

Current U.S. Mid-Amateur Champion

#Sammy Schmitz (10)

CATEGORY 11 (10 players)

First 12 players (including ties) in previous year’s Masters

Paul Casey (11, 16) - England

Bill Haas (11, 16)

Charley Hoffman (11, 16)

Dustin Johnson (11, 12, 16)

Hunter Mahan (11)

Hideki Matsuyama (11, 16) - Japan

Ryan Moore (11)

Kevin Na (11, 16)

Ian Poulter (11) - England

Kevin Streelman (11)

CATEGORY 12 (3 players)

First 4 players (including ties) in previous year’s U.S. Open

#Cameron Smith (12) - Australia

Louis Oosthuizen (12, 13, 16) - South Africa

Branden Grace (12, 14) - South Africa

CATEGORY 13 (1 players)

First 4 players (including ties) in previous year’s British Open

Marc Leishman (13) - Australia

CATEGORY 14 (0 players)

First 4 players (including ties) in previous year’s PGA Championship

No additional qualifiers

CATEGORY 15 (13 players)

Winners of non-opposite PGA Tour events from previous Masters to current Masters

Steven Bowditch (15, 16) - Australia

Jim Furyk (15, 16)

#Fabian Gomez (15) - Argentina

#Emiliano Grillo (15) - Argentina

#Smylie Kaufman (15)

Chris Kirk (15)

#Russell Knox (15) - Scotland

Danny Lee (15, 16) - New Zealand

#David Lingmerth (15) - Sweden

Davis Love III (15)

Shane Lowry (15) - Ireland

#Troy Merritt (15)

#Justin Thomas (15)

CATEGORY 16 (13 players)

Qualifiers for previous year’s season-ending Tour Championship

Sangmoon Bae** (16) - South Korea

#Daniel Berger (16)

Harris English (16)

J.B. Holmes (16)

#Kevin Kisner (16)

Brooks Koepka (16)

Matt Kuchar (16)

Scott Piercy (16)

Patrick Reed (16)

Brandt Snedeker (16)

Henrik Stenson (16) - Sweden

Robert Streb (16)

Jimmy Walker (16)

CATEGORY 17 (x players)

Top 50 on final Official World Golf Ranking for previous calendar year

TBD Dec. 21

CATEGORY 18 (x players)

Top 50 on Official World Golf Ranking published week prior to current Masters

TBD March 28

Living past Masters champions not expected to play (13)

Tommy Aaron

Jack Burke Jr.

Charles Coody

Ben Crenshaw

Nick Faldo - England

Raymond Floyd

Doug Ford

Bob Goalby

Jack Nicklaus

Arnold Palmer

Gary Player - South Africa

Craig Stadler

Fuzzy Zoeller

* -- Tom Watson announced in July that 2016 will be his final Masters as a competitor

** -- Sangmoon Bae will miss Masters while serving mandatory duty in South Korean military