Russell Knox today vowed to prove Darren Clarke wrong and show that he should have been on the European Ryder Cup team.

The 31-year-old was overlooked for a wild card by European skipper Clarke in favour of Belgian youngster Thomas Pieters as the Scot’s hopes of a debut in the transatlantic tussle at Hazeltine next month were dashed.

Knox is ranked 20th in the world, sits seventh on the FedEx Cup rankings and has won twice on the PGA Tour this season but that was not enough to sway Clarke’s mind.

The Inverness exile is now focussing his energies on an all out assault on the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup over the next three weeks.

And Knox, who claimed the biggest win of his career in the WGC HSBC Champions last November, insists his Ryder Cup snub has given him more motivation to drive on for more success.

Knox, who was left out in the cold as Pieters, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer were given the wild cards at Wentworth yesterday, said: “It’s certainly motivated me for the next three weeks, that’s for sure. I have to use this as a springboard to try and win the FedEx Cup.

“I’ve never wanted to prove someone wrong so badly in my life I think. It’s not sour grapes or anything. Darren had an extremely difficult decision and all of those three guys were worthy of a pick.

“It’s going to be difficult for me to watch it, but I probably will, and I’ll be rooting for the team of course.

"When Darren called me it was obvious within one second that is wasn’t going to be good news. It was a tough call for him to make. He obviously didn’t want to give me bad news but that was the decision he made. It was a very short phone call."