Colt Knost’s recent announcement, “I have applied to get my amateur status back,” has been the talk of the town nearly all week. And not in a good way. When the former PGA Tour pro and CBS Sports analyst revealed that he’s officially applied to regain his amateur status, it had everyone in splits. Many called it ridiculous and unfair to the existing mid-ams, but amidst all the backlash Knost is receiving for his decision, one notable voice has stepped up in his defense.

When Colt Knost explained why he’s heading toward this decision, he mentioned that he “would like to one day lead the United States Walker Cup team if at all possible,” on Gracy & The Sleeze podcast. That is his biggest motivation to turn towards this path, contrary to what most people are assuming about him. He represented the United States in the 2007 Walker Cup alongside Dustin Johnson, and now he’s hoping to return to that prestigious stage, not as a player, but as a captain. That’s the real driver behind his move.

And one fellow player is on board with his mission — Billy Horschel. Responding to Knost’s reasoning on wanting to reinstate his amateur status, Horschel had a message for Knost on X — “You’ve got my vote for future Walker Cup Captain! @ColtKnost.”
It was short, sharp, and just enough to add fuel to the existing fire Knost already started. Whether it was a playful jab or a genuine endorsement, Horschel’s message stood out amid a wave of skepticism Knost has been facing.

Colt Knost even mentioned on the podcast that he would not be like other amateurs playing all the events on the circuit. “I wish people would just sit back and take a second to ask why I’m doing this instead of just assuming that I’m gonna be like our buddy Stewart Hagestad and play 25 events a year,” he stated. He referenced Stewart Hagestad, a popular name on the mid-am circuit, who has racked up five Walker Cup wins and plays nearly 17-20 events every year. Knost specified that he can’t do the same.

“Like, I have several jobs. I don’t really have time to play a lot on the amateur circuit when most of them are during the summer, and I’m traveling around the country for CBS,” he added. And it’s true. While he has a busy schedule with CBS, Knost is also a co-host on two podcasts – Gravy & The Sleeze and the Golf’s Subpar podcast. Imagine juggling all of this and competing full-time on the mid-am circuit. Sounds superhuman.

But it’s clear that Colt Knost’s ambition is far more personal, and arguably more meaningful. He simply aspires to lead Team USA in the Walker Cup sometime in the future. And the only way he can do that is to return to the amateur circle. It’s a path he’s more than willing to take, even if it means facing criticism along the way. But why is Knost receiving so much backlash for this decision?

Why Colt Knost’s Decision Is Getting So Much Criticism

Colt Knost’s bid to regain his amateur status has reignited a debate over what the mid-am is supposed to represent. Knost, once one of the most dominant amateurs of his generation, famously gave up his spot in the 2008 Masters by turning pro after the 2007 Walker Cup. Now, over 15 years later, many critics like Sean Martin feel that he is eyeing a different route to Augusta—through the mid-am, which awards its champion a coveted Masters invitation. For Knost, it feels like a shot at redemption. A full-circle moment. But to many, it’s contradictory to the very spirit of the event.

Critics argue that letting former pros, especially ones like Knost, who has banked more than $4.3 million in 199 events in his 8 years on the PGA Tour, should not be allowed to reinstate their amateur status. As Lou Stagner pointed out on X, the USGA itself describes the mid-am as a championship “for whom the game is truly an avocation.”

But when a player like Knost, with years of grinding on the world’s biggest stages, returns to the amateur ranks, is it really a fair fight? His skill set doesn’t just vanish because he hasn’t played competitively in years. Wagner points out that, “even if they’re a bit rusty, a former tour player’s baseline skills remain FAR above a career amateur… Also, skill decay does not equal skill deletion.”

And it makes sense. It only takes a few months of good practice for a tour-level player to get back his elite playing skills, which is an unfair advantage if Knost gets to compete on the amateur circuit. But it’s not just Colt Knost; this has been a growing trend. In the 2025 mid-am alone, six of the eight quarterfinalists were reinstated professionals. And if former pros start dominating the mid-am scene, Knost’s case will be like the new norm that’s testing the boundaries of amateur golf.