Colt

Knost

Knost walked away from PGA Tour competition earlier this year when he missed the cut at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in the final start of his major medical extension. But the Scottsdale resident couldn’t resist returning for this week’s 54-hole event that featured plenty of other Tour players and offered $20,000 to the winner. Knost got within one shot of the lead thanks to a fast start during the final round at Talking Stick Golf Course, but he eventually settled for a closing 66 and a T-3 finish that earned him $6,860. Recent college graduate Zach Smith earned his first win as a pro, closing with a 62 to finish at 18 under, while Tour veteran and 2017 Scottsdale Open champ Joel Dahmen faded to a T-8 finish with a final-round 71.

Dahmen’s victory at this event in 2017 remains his most recent professional triumph, and he began the week at Talking Stick Golf Club as the pre-tournament favorite after shooting a casual 58 last week during a round with friends. He’ll start the final round one shot behind former Mackenzie Tour member Carson Roberts, who tied the course record with a 61 to move to 13 under. Other notable names in close pursuit behind Roberts include Colt Knost, who retired earlier this year from Tour competition but sits four back after rounds of 65-66. Two-time Tour winner Kevin Streelman is among a tie for ninth, as is first-round leader Nate Lashley who fell back to the pack after an opening 62. The 54-hole event boasts a $125,000 purse, with $20,000 going to the winner.

The 34-year-old Scottsdale resident was playing on his last start of a Major Medical and fell short of fulfilling the terms. Rather than grinding his way back up through the developmental tours, Knost is happy to turn his attention to other pursuits instead. He will continue to host his radio show on SiriusXM and also play a role on the CBS golf broadcast team. Knost went 37-for-55 with 16 top 25s during the 2015 and 2016 campaigns but a wrist injury shut him down the following year and he never got back to that same level. He’ll end his 199-start career with $4,330,438 in on-course earnings.

Knost has indicated that he will be pursuing other avenues if his exemption runs out following the Phoenix Open this week. With 322.152 points needed to satisfy the terms of his extension, only a victory would earn him his PGA TOUR card back. Knost was in the news recently signing a new multi-year deal to continue with the satellite channel SIRIUSXM and hosting his show “Gravy and the Sleeze” with co-host Drew Stoltz. The 34-year-old calls Scottsdale home these days and has a tidy 3-for-4 record at the Stadium Course with a T24 back in 2016. He has yet to make a cut in the 2019-2020 season but will look to make one last splash on TOUR as a 500/1 long shot in Phoenix.

Knost informed Rotoworld of his plans to tee it up at the Safeway Open, the Sony Open and the Waste Management Phoenix Open during the 2019-2020 season. The World No. 1285 has three starts remaining on this Major Medical Exemption and needs to find 322 points to earn his TOUR card back. The SMU grad is 2-for-4 at Silverado Resort and Spa’s North Course with a high finish of T26 in 2014. Knost has been praised as a part-time commentator with Golf Channel and fans will be curious to see where he lands if he doesn’t re-secure his card.

Playing on a medical extension, Knost still has 8 starts remaining to earn 326.952 FedExCup Points and meet the terms of that medical. He entered the week with missed cuts in five of his last seven starts. His most recent start was promising, though, as he gained strokes off-the-tee, around-the-green, and putting, at the RBC Canadian Open (T50).

Forty-four of 74 golfers got their respective laps in prior to the horn with the final twosome having just made the turn. Of the 44, World No. 2049 Colt Knost is the only player to record a blemish-free tour of Quail Hollow Club in Round 3. On 12 (of 14) fairways and 11 greens in regulation, he posted -0.008 SG: Off-the-Tee, 1.237 SG: Approach, and 0.217 SG: Around. The 33-year-old, who’s playing this season on a Major Medical Extension and making just his fifth start, carded four birdies at holes 1, 2, 14 and 15, all from between five and 10 feet. He posted 1.636 putts per GIR and 2.178 SG: Putting with 25 total putts, saving par two times from between 12 and 15 feet. The SMU alum opened with 73-68 for his first made cut since T62 at the 2018 WM Phoenix Open nine starts ago. He’s currently up 14 spots to T14 on 5-under 208 after a 4-under-par 33-34=67.

Knost is 0-for-2 on the year as he attempts to play his way through a Major Medical Extension. He has 11 starts remaining with 349 FedExCup Points needed to fulfill the terms. Knost will save one of those starts instead of pegging it for the eighth time at this event. His record here reads just 2-for-7 with nothing better than a T41 in 2015. Knost’ last top 50 came at the 2016 Barracuda so there is no rush for gamers to reinvest until he shows signs of regained form.

Knost has been battling injuries over the last few years. He’s racked up just 11 total starts in the last two years, missing the cut in seven of those. Knost entered the season on a Major Medical Extension with 13 starts to earn 349 FedExCup Points. He’s currently 0-for-1 so he has just 12 starts to earn those points. Knost has picked a good week to jump back in as he’s a Scottsdale resident and is 3-for-3 at this event. The highlight was a T24 in 2016. Gamers might give him a look in the deepest of weekly leagues but there is no real reason to reinvest until he shows a sign of full health and regained form.

The 33-year-old is on a Major Medical Extension relating to a hand/wrist injury that required surgery in February, 2017. After finishing a career-best 79th in the FedExCup standings in 2016, his 2017 campaign was limited to just five events with just one made cut. The SMU alum’s most recent start was a missed cut 34 weeks ago at the 2018 Zurich (teamed with Ricky Barnes), while his most recent individual start was a MC at the 2018 RBC Heritage as an alternate. Originally allocated 18 events on the Major Medical, he now has 13 remaining to earn 349.202 FEC points to retain full-exempt status. While unclear when the Ohio native will return to action, he did indicate on his twitter feed (link below) that he was “Getting close!”.