Two things can be true: in an increasingly nebulous and challenging time to define \u201camateur,\u201d the USGA may be losing the plot on regulating amateur status, especially at the reinstated mid-am level. And Knost\u2019s move, or stunt, is relatively harmless, though his \u201cYall are freaking out over nothing\u201d response<\/a> to the backlash from a stunt designed to create backlash<\/a> is a little off-base. You shouted fire in a theater, people ran out, and then you\u2019re holding your hands up asking why<\/a> everyone\u2019s running away. And for affirmation of this intended effect, look no further than Wes Bryan attempting to hitch himself to the attention train<\/a>. <\/p>\n {{inline-article}}<\/p>\n In the initial announcement, Knost stated the move was to get a shot at playing a mid-am event and \u201csolely because of all the complaining\u201d that followed recent former pros participating at the U.S. Mid-Am. “I’m not saying I’m going to win, but I just think it would be some great conversation if I could make my way into the Mid-Am,\u201d Knost added.<\/p>\n Since then, he\u2019s said it\u2019s because he wants to one day captain the Walker Cup<\/a>. So the target seems to be moving. Knost, a frequent thoughtful critic of LIV, must understand that consequences come with choices to play for money in the game of golf, and maybe not getting to captain a Walker Cup could be one here? Nevertheless, he will try.<\/p>\n That this is the subject of the day suggests a couple things: it\u2019s October, and we are slow. And golf is in a really great spot. It felt not long ago that the game, many of its courses, equipment makers, tours, and the public relations of the entire sport were in peril. If this is the subject matter front and center now, then golf is cooking. The debate is peripheral to many, and critically important to some. <\/p>\n Knost was a great player. He won $5 million in earnings in almost 300 starts in more than a decade on the PGA and Korn Ferry Tours. He is great for the broadcasts now. He seems like a credit to golf. This is less about his specific and very dubious case \u2014 which, let\u2019s be honest, is years away from materializing into anything and may never lead to any actual threat \u2014 and more about capitalizing on a recent hot-button issue current mid-ams and other golf defenders feel very strongly about and think the USGA might be slipping on in recent years. Their positions are emboldened after the recent U.S. Mid-Am and after Justin Hueber, appearing on the NLU podcast, filmed what felt more like a confession video<\/a> than a defense. The Knost move will add to it. Are we losing the fundamental nature and point of this thing we created?<\/p>\n Perhaps a second level of review should be instituted, one where each U.S. Mid-Am winner\u2019s true status is assessed by the Masters on a case-by-case annual basis before stamping the invitation envelope. That invite is just one of the carrots of a potential reinstated am life, but one would think an ANGC review of to \u201cfill a podcast segment \u2018solely for the complaining,\u2019 sponsored by tobacco pouches\u201d may not pass scrutiny.<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/6879420947a008bafe5b17e9_NewsletterCTA.jpg\")