‘This will make a lot of people happy!’: Colt Knost shares major USGA amateur status update

Colt Knost has provided a major update on his attempt to regain amateur status — and he appears to be taking the latest development in good humour.

The former PGA Tour professional revealed that the USGA has put his reinstatement application on hold while it conducts a wider review of its amateur status guidelines.

“An update from the USGA on my amateur status,” Knost wrote on X with the below email. “I’m sure this will make a lot of people happy! Haha.”

The 41-year-old American accompanied the post with a screenshot of a message from the USGA explaining that his application had been temporarily paused while staff work with the organisation's Amateur Status Committee and Executive Committee to complete their review.

Since taking to X with his latest update, Knost, who now works as an on-course announcer for CBS Sports, has been responding to a number of golf fans on the subject, which has caused quite a stir. 

The development brings one of the most controversial topics in amateur golf back into focus.

Over the past decade, the USGA has taken a relatively relaxed approach towards allowing former professionals to return to the amateur game. 

That policy has increasingly divided opinion, particularly among amateur golfers who believe prestigious competitions have become too accessible to players with significant professional experience.

The debate reached a particularly interesting point at the 2025 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, where six of the eight quarter-finalists were former professionals.

Knost has become one of the most recognisable figures in the argument since announcing that he intended to seek reinstatement.

The 2007 U.S. Amateur champion enjoyed a lengthy professional career, earning more than $5 million in on-course prize money. 

He won twice on what is now the Korn Ferry Tour, with both victories coming in 2008, and also competed in three major championships.

Although he never won on the PGA Tour, Knost's professional record has inevitably made his potential return to amateur competition a talking point. 

His best major result was a tie for 70th at the 2016 PGA Championship at Baltusrol.

Knost has previously said his decision to seek reinstatement was partly driven by the considerable criticism surrounding former professionals returning to amateur golf. 

The former World No.92 has also spoken about the possibility of one day being involved with another U.S. Walker Cup team, potentially as a captain.

The USGA has confirmed that it is now examining whether its current reinstatement process remains appropriate.

A spokesperson told Golf Digest the organisation was reviewing the “role and purpose of reinstatement and waiting periods”, including how those two elements work together and their impact on the amateur game.

USGA officials have previously acknowledged that reinstatement should not necessarily be treated as a one-size-fits-all process. 

A player who briefly worked as an instructor or competed professionally for a short period could potentially be treated differently from someone with a long and successful tour career.

For now, Knost's application remains on hold.

But with the USGA now taking a closer look at its rules, his update could prove to be an important moment in a debate that shows no signs of going away.