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U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 23, 2007

Colt Knost

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

CRAIG SMITH: Colt, it's been a long day, but the dream, the goal continues. Two steps closer today to having an APL and a U.S. Amateur championship on your trophy case.
COLT KNOST: Yeah. Really haven't thought about that too much. But I know the circumstances. Only one other guy has done it. But just trying to take it one match at a time.
CRAIG SMITH: How did you play? You looked like you had a pretty comfortable lead and he started chipping away and getting a couple birdies. Were you a little scared?
COLT KNOST: I got a little nervous, but I was in control the whole match and felt like I got off to a good start. And then I just kept it going.
And he hit it really close on 14, par-4. He hit it, it was a gimmie. And I had hit it in there about 10 feet and made the putt. And I felt like, all right, this is mine now.
But then he made like a 20-footer on the next hole for birdie to win the hole again.
CRAIG SMITH: Have you felt challenged in any of the matches?
COLT KNOST: Yeah, I feel like I'm always challenged. I won the first hole every time and I've always had at least a 2-up lead through nine it seems like. And I've never been down all week.
And I mean, yeah, I was feeling challenged there coming into the last few. I know George is a veteran and he knows what's going on out there and he seems to make putts when he needs to.
CRAIG SMITH: I think we asked you this before, but going the distance in the APL, does it give you something to fall back on? I know you had other things that you won and have a lot of success, but success helps you with success?
COLT KNOST: For sure. Going through that week showed me a lot about myself. It gave me certain situations where I was down in matches other way ahead and kind of how to finish them off. And then it was definitely I'm going to rely on that experience. But it's totally different venue, totally different opponents tomorrow. And I just got to keep playing solid.

Q. You're the last of the Walker Cup guys now through here. Are you surprised that you're the only one that's in the final 8?
COLT KNOST: Yeah, I'm surprised. I thought there would be some more of us. I wish there was some more of us. But it's all right. Hopefully we're all saving our game for over there here in a week.

Q. Over the last year you've had a great year college-wise, played obviously very well this summer. I asked a couple other guys this before, but how different a golfer are you now than say perhaps a year ago?
COLT KNOST: A lot. I was a real late starter to the game. I just keep every event is more experience for me. I feel like I learn stuff every day. I don't know. I just feel like I'm getting better each day out there. I'm a totally different player than I was last year. This is my third one of these. And I mean I just feel more and more comfortable out here.

Q. How so? How are you a different player do you think?
COLT KNOST: A lot more mature. I know I play the game a lot better. I mean, my swing's getting better. Every part of my game's gotten better. But I know how to deal with certain things. I probably last year playing in front of 60, 70 people like I did out there today would have made me a little nervous. But now I don't even notice people honestly really. I just play my own game. I'm a lot more self confident.
CRAIG SMITH: What do you mean by late starter? When did you start and when did you finally get to the point that you wanted to do this?
COLT KNOST: I didn't start playing competitive golf until I was 16. So I'm 22 now. Really probably when I was a senior in high school is when I thought, all right, I might be able to do something with this. Before that it was always just kind of having fun.

Q. Why so late?
COLT KNOST: I don't know. Just never no one ever introduced me to the game. And then one day picked up a club and started playing. Realized I wasn't going to make it in the NFL or NBA or anything.
CRAIG SMITH: Is there a cute story how you decided to pick up the club and play?
COLT KNOST: No. I was just at my house. I grew up on a horse ranch and we have huge pasture there and my dad used to play and I'd hit balls with him every once in a while.
CRAIG SMITH: How long down the road before lessons came into the picture?
COLT KNOST: I started taking lessons right around my freshman year in high school I believe is when I was 14. And but then I switched to Randy Smith my senior year. Been with him for five years now and that totally has changed everything.
CRAIG SMITH: So you picked up a club when you were how old?
COLT KNOST: Probably 12, 13. Around there. Never got real serious until I was 16.
CRAIG SMITH: That's a great story compared to what everybody else is doing here probably.
COLT KNOST: Yeah.

Q. Do you think that gives you, I don't know, maybe a more appreciation for what it takes to get where you want to go, I guess for lack of a better term? I don't know how to articulate that, I guess. Are you more mature when you start so you have a better idea of what it's, what you have to do?
COLT KNOST: Yeah, I mean, it just feels like to me since I haven't been out here that long that I learn so much. I take in a lot of things where other guys I feel like they think they know it all or where some of the or guys have been playing so long maybe they get burned out a little bit. And I feel like I have never come close to peaking with my game yet, so. I think it was a good thing for me to start late.
CRAIG SMITH: Certainly won't burn out that way, right.
COLT KNOST: I hope not. It's been a long summer though.
CRAIG SMITH: You exhausted? More exhausted mentally or physically?
COLT KNOST: I'm fine physically. I'm a little tired mentally. I was pretty relaxed out there all day. But those last few holes George was putting it to me pretty good. He's tough. He was tough in the first hole. He started, he was making putts this far on first few holes.
CRAIG SMITH: What's been -- just pick one of the strongest parts of your game. You got through comfortably in stroke play and doing real well in match play. What's carrying you?
COLT KNOST: I hit a lot of fairways. That's what you got to do out here. You can't play from the rough this week. You will not last long unless you're just getting up-and-down from everywhere.
CRAIG SMITH: You told me that before. This suits you, other people have told you that this course suits you, because that's what you do. It's not a 7400 yard golf course, but fairways are important.
COLT KNOST: Yeah. It's fairways and greens out here, it's got small fairways, small greens. You go out there and if you can hit most of them then you're going to be successful.
CRAIG SMITH: Thanks for your time.
COLT KNOST: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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