RUSSELL Knox and his manager will make it the top priority to discuss whether or not the golfer should take up European Tour membership when they meet on Tuesday.

The American-based Scot's fortunes have changed hugely for the better following his triumph in the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament in China last Sunday. The victory in the co-sanctioned event was his first on the PGA Tour - but because he is not also a member of the European Tour his £900,000 winner's cheque cannot be converted into invaluable Ryder Cup points.

Globe-trotting Knox is currently playing in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in Mexico. Despite a dash from Shanghai, via Los Angeles, Atlanta and Cancun, he made it in time to tee up in the pro-am on Wednesday.

Rounds of 70 and 65 allowed him to comfortably make the cut in a tie for 14th place and manager John Wiler, who works for IMG in the United States, said: "As you can imagine, this week has been hectic with media and him playing in Mexico.

"I will see him on Tuesday and the prospect of joining the European Tour is on the top of the list of topics to discuss.

"I have all the necessary information and paperwork to move forward should he decide to do it. I have been told his deadline is November 22."

Speaking from Mexico, Knox said numerous doors had been opened to him following his win last Sunday.

"My schedule may change dramatically. I may make a few more trips to Europe to play.

"Playing in the Ryder Cup would be amazing. Obviously it is still a long way away and I would have to play great to even have a chance."

As well as an exemption to make his Masters debut, Knox said another 2016 highlight would be playing in the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart, just along the road from where he was brought up in Inverness.

Meanwhile, David Law and Paul Shields were the best of the Scots on day one of the gruelling six round marathon that is the European Tour’s Qualifying School final at PGA Catalunya near Girona in north east Spain.

Law, the former Scottish Amateur champion and a protégé of the 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie, posted a three-under 67 over the Tour Course as his bid for one of the 25 main tour cards on offer got off to a solid start.

Law stumbled to an early bogey on the fourth but the Aberdonian repaired the damage with a haul of four birdies as he finished six strokes behind early leader, Nick Cullen, who surged to the top of the leaderboard with a sparkling nine-under 61.

Glasgow man Shields also posted a three-under card while Jack Doherty, who had one season on the main circuit in 2014, began with a 69.

On the exacting Stadium Course , Scott Henry, who narrowly missed out on promotion to the European Tour through the Challenge Tour rankings, returned a one-under 71 while Bradley Neil, the former Amateur champion from Blairgowrie, had to settle for a one-over 73. Ross Kellett and Peter Whiteford both opened with 75s on the Stadium layout while George Murray is also on the back foot after a 76.

At the head of affairs, Cullen eased into a two shot lead with a superbly assembled round that included four birdies going out and five on the inward half

Cullen has plied his trade on the Australasian Tour for the last five seasons, winning the Australian Masters last year, but the 31-year=old now has his sights set on a spot in the 2016 Race to Dubai.

“That’s as good a start as I’ve ever made to a tournament so I’m very happy with it, but it’s such a long week and there’s a lot of golf ahead of us,” he said.

“As much as this week is about trying to finish in that top 25, I think you still need to keep that mindset of trying to win it and then if you don’t then hopefully you’re still up there.”

Edoardo Molinari, the former Ryder Cup player, opened with a four-under 66 on the Tour Course as he bids to extend his stay on the European Tour to seven seasons while Irish rookie Paul Dunne, who led July’s Open as an amateur heading into the final round, had a one-under 71.