Overview
- Knost confirmed on his podcasts that he has applied to regain amateur status, noting his last professional start was in February 2020 and that he now works as a CBS analyst.
- USGA chief governance officer Thomas Pagel said reinstatement is allowed with a waiting or cooling-off period, while players with notable professional wins are unlikely to be approved.
- Online reaction escalated after a post from PGA Tour content head Sean Martin, who noted Knost could theoretically reach the Masters via the U.S. Mid-Amateur route.
- Recent results heightened scrutiny as reports say most 2025 U.S. Mid-Amateur quarterfinalists were reinstated former professionals, prompting fairness concerns for career amateurs.
- PGA Tour veteran Billy Horschel publicly backed Knost’s captaincy aspiration, tweeting support for him as a future U.S. Walker Cup leader.