Here’s To All The Non-Believers

By Ken Klavon, USGA

San Francisco – Colt Knost fits the mold of the last one picked in a sandlot game.

His physique is the antithesis of how a golfer is typically built: frumpy, short and stocky. For 35 holes, the USA Walker Cup player waged war against more than Michael Thompson, who he beat 2 and 1 Sunday at the U.S. Amateur.

A spirited Colt Knost, reacting to a critical make on the 34th hole, uses emotion to guide his game. (John Mummert/USGA)

All along Knost set out to prove all the nay-sayers wrong. This isn’t another clichéd story of yet another player overusing Muhammed Ali’s ‘Me Against The World’ anthem, because Knost never actually said it.

But the whispers in the gallery Sunday may as well have been transmitted with a megaphone. There were many wondering how this bowling ball of man could be so accurate, so talented in his overall game.

"You can’t walk 36 holes, you can’t run up the hill on 18, you can’t, you can’t, you can’t," said his swing coach Randy Smith, the club professional at Royal Oaks Country Club in Dallas since 1980, after witnessing his pupil’s press conference. "Well, yes he can."

And he did. Relying on an obstinate disposition, the 22-year-old man who draws comparisons to Craig Stadler knew in his head that he’d eventually wear out Thompson. There was never any doubt listening to him. Self-assured, he knew it all along.

Whenever Knost went down in the match, he immediately bounced back like a yo-yo. Three times the 22-year-old Thompson, a second-team All-American from the University of Alabama, went 1 up in the duel. And Knost won the immediate hole each time. Call it intestinal fortitude, or that unique drive within, but Knost wouldn’t be denied.

"You look at that frame," said Smith, "and 80 percent of it is all heart."

If that’s true, then the other 20 percent is manufactured on emotion. Knost undoubtedly wears his heart on his sleeve. Think John Belushi on a golf course. Through the entire match his face contorted as though a swarm of bees chased him all day. A poorly executed shot usually brought admonishment. Knost would continually bark at himself. On No. 8, the 26^th hole of the match, he incredulously questioned the Rules official’s judgment when he was simply told that a measurement was in order. "But I’m away!" he said.

It was clear to Thompson that Knost might become unglued and slip up when he got overheated.

"Oh, absolutely," said Thompson. "Every time he did that I said, ‘Come on,’ I told myself, ‘OK, you can compose yourself better than that.

"But the reason why he’s so good is that he can snap out of that real quick. He almost uses that anger and emotion to get him going."

It did on the 31^st and 32^nd holes of the match. On No. 13, the 31^st hole, Knost finessed in a 21-footer that put him 1 up. He uttered then that it was time to "right the ship." Then on the next hole, he converted a 24-foot chip in just off the green that brought a monstrous fist pump.

His mother, Lu Ann Knost, a self-admitted nervous wreck watching outside the ropes, exhaled, "That’s the way the ball is supposed to go in" when his ball disappeared.

Thompson might have misjudged the emotional outbursts because, according to Smith, Knost has an uncanny ability to put shots behind him.

"I move on from things very quickly and try not to let things stay with me too long," said Knost.

Knost learned how to control his emotional state thanks to Smith. When Knost was a high school senior, he called Smith out of the blue asking him to help him with his game. Initially Smith was leery. He didn’t take on too many protégés, but there was something in Knost that convinced him he was worth the gamble.

Knost had an attitude that Smith deemed workable. Rough around the edges, Smith began to build his confidence and make him more accepting of his abilities.

A tearful Knost thanked Smith when he was awarded the Havemeyer Trophy on the 17^th green. Later, Knost said that because of him, he wouldn’t be where he is today as a person or golfer. He surely wouldn’t have joined Ryan Moore as the second player in history to win the U.S. Amateur Public Links and U.S. Amateur in the same year, he continued.

Smith felt flattered.

"I think maybe I made him a bit more tolerant of himself," said Smith. "He’s very intolerant of mediocrity.

"Yes, he’s got a personality, he’s got a little fire, and got a little zip."

So whether the chubby kid from Dallas affirmed his validation among the masses with the victory is left to the critics to decide. At least one group embraced him as the U.S. Amateur champion. In the din of the Olympic Club basement, a sing-song of a chant could be heard as Knost made his way through with the trophy.

They serenaded him to his delight.

Knost finally arrived as a player if there were any doubts.

"Here’s to Colt, here’s to Colt, hooray!"

Ken Klavon is the USGA’s Web Editor. E-mail him with questions or comments at kklavon@usga.org.