U.S. Amateur Champion alumni are no stranger to the TJGT and the second one covered by our Alumni Spotlight is Colt Knost from Pilot Point, Texas.
Knost is a decorated golfer in almost every golf arena, from high school through professional stages.
In high school, Knost was the 2003 Texas State 3A champion and led his team to compete in the state tournament three times.
He claimed a spot on the Southern Methodist University Men’s golf team in 2003 garnering numerous honors and titles through out his college career. Knost was named WAC freshman of the year, captured two collegiate titles as a sophomore, and won the 75th Dixie Amateur Championship. His greatest accomplishment as an amateur was in 2007 when he claimed the 107th U.S. Amateur title earning him a spot into three of four major championships (the Masters, U.S. Open, and British Ope).
However, in 2007, Knost chose to take another route. Forgoing the opportunity to play in the Masters and other major championships as the number one amateur in the world, Knost turned professional.
In an interview with Golf.com, Knost said this about his decision to turn professional:
“It’s been very hard. Do I take a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play in the Masters as an amateur? Or do I end my career as the No. 1 amateur in the world having won the U.S. Amateur and the Walker Cup with my team? I’ve been going back and forth.”
His decision has proved successful now looking back on the past years. Knost is 91st in the current FedEx Cup rankings, 208th in the World golf ranking, and has earned well over two million dollars in career PGA tour earnings, not including his earnings on the Web.com tour.
Knost comes from a long line of outstanding Texas golfers and his success has inspired junior golfers looking to take their game to the next level.