Nelson is Still Home For Surging Knost
IRVING — Regardless of all of the ups and downs in his career, Colt Knost has always played the Byron Nelson Invitational. After all, it’s the hometown PGA Tour event for the Pilot Point native and former SMU standout.
So it’s a bonus when Knost plays well at the TPC Four Seasons in Las Colinas. He tied for 10th place last year despite a disappointing finish, and on Sunday, he surged into a tie for fourth spot with a career-low 13-under-par 267 over four rounds, two shots behind winner Sergio Garcia.
“This tournament has always meant so much,” Knost said. “It’s tough playing in front of your family and friends. You put a little pressure on yourself. But the last few years have been awesome. I didn’t know what was going to happen this year, but it was great.”
Knost relocated this spring from University Park to Scottsdale, Ariz. So when the Byron Nelson rolled around, he appealed to another local favorite, Jordan Spieth, who just happened to buy a new $7 million house in Preston Hollow last year.
“He was nice enough to put me up now that I don’t have a house here anymore,” Knost joked. “It’s a real cool house. I would never need to leave. It’s got everything you need there, except I was giving him a hard time. There’s a TV every three feet in the house except in the bedroom I stayed in. We changed that pretty quickly, though. It’s a phenomenal place, especially for a 22-year-old to be living in.”
Knost said he moved to Arizona from the Park Cities because the winter weather there allows him to practice year-round alongside fellow PGA Tour pros.
“Last year, I decided I was going to rent a house for three months through the West Coast swing, just to see if I could maybe take my game to the next level, where I wanted to go — just spent the whole offseason out there and felt like I was more prepared,” he said. “I thought if I wanted to take the next step in my career, this is a great place to do it. Dallas will always be home for me. It’s just an experiment to see if I can take my game to the next level.”
Knost, 30, entered the Nelson on a roll after finishing in a tie for third place at the Players Championship the week prior. In that event, just like in Irving, he shot a career-best 63 in second round.
He has gained a reputation as a fan favorite who feeds off the gallery and enjoys interacting with onlookers. And it helps that he’s playing some of the best golf of his career, of course.
“I just feel like I’m a really social guy who likes to have a good time. Golf is very important to me — I mean, it’s what I do for a living — but it doesn’t define who I am,” Knost said. “We’re very lucky to play this game for a living. I like to enjoy myself with what I make out here.”
