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Colt Knost was spotted on the course again! This time, not as an analyst but as a player. Five years after he called it quits from the PGA Tour. Knost has made headlines after claiming he applied to get his amateur status back. Now, does his recent golf tournament appearance mean his amateur status is finally good to go? Not exactly.

Knost made his debut this week at the 2025 Grass League Championship in Tempe, Arizona. And when Paige Spiranac caught up with him after the round, she didn’t hold back from throwing a sarcastic jab at him.

Their conversation started about his performance. The former PGA Tour pro, who plays for Hollywood Hitters, admitted that he mishit the opening tee shot. “I’m getting too old, Paige,” the 40-year-old joked, explaining that the ball ended up on the front edge of the green.

Then came the jab.

“Is that why you’re trying to get your AM (amateur) status back?” Spiranac asked, cutting straight to the controversy that’s been following Knost since October. Knost, whose handicap is +5.1, answered humorously, “Oh, haters gonna hate. You know, trying to just get out here and play a few more tournaments occasionally. And I figured the AM route was the best way to go.”

The Grass League Championship is Knost’s first tournament since February 2020. That was when he last played in the PGA Tour at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. The Grass League event lasts two days and includes 36 holes played in a scramble format. It has 40 two-person teams competing for a $100,000 prize on a par-3 course. Knost’s debut immediately reignited the debate around his amateur status.

In October, Knost said on the Subpar podcast that he had asked the USGA to let him play as an amateur again. And the backlash was immediate. Critics said he shouldn’t be allowed back into amateur golf because he had a 12-year career on the PGA Tour, 199 tour starts, and almost $4.5 million in career earnings.

Later, Knost said that his ultimate objective was to be the captain of a future U.S. Walker Cup team. Being an amateur “would probably help” his prospects. He is still very thrilled about winning the Walker Cup. He played for Team USA in 2007 and went 2-0-2.

But not everyone feels similarly. Brendan Porath of the Fried Egg Golf podcast questioned Knost’s objectives.

He stated, “I think this move seems dubious, but it was, for me, a play for attention and engagement on the podcast, which I’m not unfamiliar with either.” Porath continued, “Sponsored by some off-brand Zen thing, cut for social and sharing, and it’s worked, and everybody’s hooting and hollering about it.”

Porath said that appointing Colt Knost the Walker Cup captain again after giving him back his amateur status “would make even more people angry.” He also pointed out that it was clear why Knost wanted to be reinstated. Porath said, “Choices have consequences. And he made $5 million, right? And he was a good pro. He was a bona fide tour pro for 12 years.”

Porath’s criticism highlights a growing frustration within golf. Knost is not the only one—he is part of a larger trend that has amateur golf fans wondering about the system.

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The bigger debate around Colt Knost’s amateur status

Colt Knost’s recent application has raised concerns about former professionals competing in amateur events. In the 2025 U.S. Mid-Amateur, six of the eight quarterfinalists were former professionals who switched back to amateur status. This situation has led many to question whether the USGA should change its rules for reinstatement.

Each year, about 800 former professionals apply to regain their amateur status, and most of them are accepted. However, the USGA can deny reinstatement to players in the “national prominence category.” Craig Winter, the USGA’s senior director of Rules of Golf and amateur status, stated that top players like Scottie Scheffler would not be allowed to return.

The golf community is split on Knost’s choice and his goals for the Walker Cup. Some believe his decision is good for someone who enjoys amateur golf. Others think he is taking advantage of a system that allows top professionals to come back and win events meant for amateurs.

Colt Knost will continue to face scrutiny, especially after Spiranac’s question at the Grass League. Whether he is playing in high-stakes par-3 tournaments or commenting for CBS during PGA Tour events, his pursuit of amateur status will continue to define him. In golf, which values tradition and competition, this debate is unlikely to fade anytime soon.