Colt Knost- dumb? Smart?

POKEROMGLOL · #1 10-15-2007, 04:03 AM

turned pro and passed up exemptions to the Masters, US Open, and British Open to play in the frys.com open (and the rest of the fall series) and whatever sponsor's exemptions he gets next year.

What would you have done?

WLVRYN · #2 10-15-2007, 08:39 AM

If I were good enough to play golf for a living, I'd want to start getting paid as quickly as possible. Worst thing in the world would be to have a good amateur finish at one of the majors and give up a good chunk of money so you can play in a tourney that you could most likely qualify for anyway (other than the Masters of course). Everything I've seen about this kid says that he will play in plenty of majors in his career anyway, so he might as well get started sooner rather than later.

K-Slay · #3 10-15-2007, 12:04 PM

Being low am in those events isn't going to make more of a name for himself than winning the Us amd and Publinks did. He's got the instant name recognition to get sponsors exemptions and play his way on tour. I'd do the same thing he did know I can get invites to those tournaments by playing just as well as a pro.

tuq · #4 10-15-2007, 12:22 PM

From what I understand this kid is quite a prodigy, so totally agreed with WLVRYN that he's going to be playing in Augusta eventually, so he might as well not forgo pay days in the interim just to play there sooner. Smart IMO.

HDPM · #5 10-15-2007, 12:38 PM

Is he not going to Q-School? I think if he has no tour status he only gets 7 exemptions. I tend to think turning pro is the right decision for a player like Knost. Playing in the Masters as an amateur would be nice, but it is likely to be a couple of practice rounds and 2 competitive rounds. And you get no money from it. I guess with the excessively loose amateur rules now you can take expenses and wear awful logos as an am, but stuill, you aren't getting paid. Waiting to turn pro to play in a couple of events seems like a waste of time to me if you know you are going to turn pro anyway. IMO if he got status on the Nationwide Tour and could play a full schedule there he would get way more out of it through the Open Championship next year than he would get by playing in a few events as an amateur, even if they are majors.

One thing I think makes some sense for players is to try to get some status on a tour as an amateur. I think you can go through q-school as an am and only have to give up the amateur status if you qualify and decide to play. IIRC one guy won a nationwide event as an am this year and decided to then turn pro and take his status on the nationwide tour. I am not sure of all the details, but something like that could make some sense for a player with amateur exemptions into majors. I tend to favor turning pro for players who have developed quite a bit as amateurs. I don't think it is a good idea for very young players who have turned pro too early IMO, Fujikawa, Finaus, Tryon, etc... But for a 21 year old who has won big amateur tournaments and is going to go pro a year on a developmental tour is probably better for overall development than a few rounds at Augusta with the champions. That player has learned how to win at his level and needs to learn how to play for pay, which is different from the amateur game. In any event, if the player is good enough he should have qualified for a US Open as an amateur anyway, and can pay his entry fee and try to qualify for the US open and Open Championship as a pro.

K-Slay · #6 10-15-2007, 12:47 PM

If you make enough to be in the top 125 on the money list with those 7 exemptions you earn your card.

black knight · #7 10-15-2007, 02:49 PM

Could he not play in the Masters as an am, then turn pro after and be just as good off (if not better for the Masters' experience)?

Butcho22 · #8 10-15-2007, 05:29 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Could he not play in the Masters as an am, then turn pro after and be just as good off (if not better for the Masters' experience)?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sure, but he's probably less likely to get exemptions after the Masters because those tournaments are going to be full field events.

This way he gets to play 7 events with softer fields (lol) which gives him an outside shot at playing his way on tour without Q-school.

FireStorm · #9 10-15-2007, 06:43 PM

He can apparently hang with the big boys enough to envision possible top 125 this year, and a decent number of exemptions next year. Two events since turning pro, two cuts made.

esad · #10 10-16-2007, 08:31 AM

He's only made $27,483 in two tournaments. He has to make about another $700,000 more to qualify in the top 125. He's going to need to high place finishes to get there. I imagine he'll likely go to Q-School and try to get his card that way.

I also remember hearing that his family doesn't have very much money so for him it was a question of paying his own way. It's expensive to go and play in the majors as an amateur.