University of Colorado Athletics
Photo by: CUBuffs.com
Knight Wins Opening Match In U.S. Amateur
August 12, 2026 | Men's Golf
Cruises to a rout over Big 12 rival
ARDMORE, Pa. – University of Colorado senior Brandon Knight wanted to get off to a good start here Wednesday in the opening Round of 64 in the 126th Annual U.S. Amateur at Merion Golf Club.
Winning each of the first four holes – with three birdies – certainly met that goal, as in the end he routed Texas Tech junior Connor Graham after just 13 holes, 6 and 5. Knight now advances into Thursday morning's Round of 32 where he will face University of Florida senior, Noah Kent. The winner advances to the Round of 16 in the afternoon.
Knight, who was tied with 21 others for 33rd landed as the No. 48 seed when all was said and done after making it through stroke play with a 1-over effort; Graham earned the No. 17 seed with a 1-under performance. But Knight took it right to his Big 12 Conference rival right from the start, as he birdied the 365-yard, par-4 1st hole while Graham made bogey. Knight scored his next bird on the 572-yard, par-5 2nd while Graham made par, then he made par versus bogey on the 222-yard, par-3 3rd. He then really distanced himself with a birdie on the massive 603-yard, par-5 4th hole, where Graham scored par.
Graham -- the 25th ranked amateur in the world, won just two holes – the 7th with his only birdie, and the 9th when Knight bogeyed. But the three-year CU letterman won both holes right after those to maintain his four-hole edge, with a par on the 12th hole increasing his lead to five holes.
In what turned out to be the last hole of the match -- the 121-yard, par-3 13th – Knight hit a pitching wedge to within five feet and sank the putt, while Graham missed the green altogether. Match over.
"I came out feeling good and was able to build some momentum early," Knight said of the first time he had even met his Red Raider opponent. "My short game, especially my putting, has been good all week, as well as my attitude. But I'm happy of how I've been playing overall and am excited to get after it tomorrow."
Associate head coach Derek Tolan is with Knight and is doing double-duty as his caddy.
"Today was an absolute thing of beauty," Tolan said. "He did an awesome job of playing the shot in front of him and not worrying about his opponent or anybody else was up to, which I think is so important in match. It's easy to get caught up in everything going on and not be laser focused on the shot at hand."
From a coaching standpoint, Tolan, who played in the event twice as a teenager and once as a Buff, has been a godsend for Knight.
"I would say his best advice he is telling me to just take care of myself and my own game and I'll have success out there," Knight said. "Just me versus Merion. If I manage to do that, I'll be in a great spot."
NOTES: The second round was completed early Wednesday; Knight remained tied for 33rd but sophomore Tyler Long finished tied for 159th, besting 129 others in the massive 312-man field, including several top collegians … Knight's mother, father and grandfather are with him, and they will be joined by CU head coach Roy Edwards for Thursday's competition … Knight will be looking to become the fifth Buffalo to make it out of the Round of 32 to join the late Dale Douglass (1959), Matt Potter (1987), David Oraee (2015) and Justin Biwer (2022); no CU golfer has reached the quarterfinals … Tolan was one of three assistant coaches playing caddy with New Mexico and Pepperdine, but Tolan is the last one standing … Noah Kent defeated Pepperdine freshman Kailer Stone, 1 up, going ahead in the see-saw match on the 17th hole … Merion has hosted four U.S. Opens, Ben Hogan winning the first in 1950, Justin Rose the last in 2013 with Lee Trevino and David Graham in-between … The remaining schedule has the quarterfinals on Friday, the semifinals on Saturday and the 36-hole championship match on Sunday … Television coverage will be on the NBC Sports Network and Peacock.
Winning each of the first four holes – with three birdies – certainly met that goal, as in the end he routed Texas Tech junior Connor Graham after just 13 holes, 6 and 5. Knight now advances into Thursday morning's Round of 32 where he will face University of Florida senior, Noah Kent. The winner advances to the Round of 16 in the afternoon.
Knight, who was tied with 21 others for 33rd landed as the No. 48 seed when all was said and done after making it through stroke play with a 1-over effort; Graham earned the No. 17 seed with a 1-under performance. But Knight took it right to his Big 12 Conference rival right from the start, as he birdied the 365-yard, par-4 1st hole while Graham made bogey. Knight scored his next bird on the 572-yard, par-5 2nd while Graham made par, then he made par versus bogey on the 222-yard, par-3 3rd. He then really distanced himself with a birdie on the massive 603-yard, par-5 4th hole, where Graham scored par.
Graham -- the 25th ranked amateur in the world, won just two holes – the 7th with his only birdie, and the 9th when Knight bogeyed. But the three-year CU letterman won both holes right after those to maintain his four-hole edge, with a par on the 12th hole increasing his lead to five holes.
In what turned out to be the last hole of the match -- the 121-yard, par-3 13th – Knight hit a pitching wedge to within five feet and sank the putt, while Graham missed the green altogether. Match over.
"I came out feeling good and was able to build some momentum early," Knight said of the first time he had even met his Red Raider opponent. "My short game, especially my putting, has been good all week, as well as my attitude. But I'm happy of how I've been playing overall and am excited to get after it tomorrow."
Associate head coach Derek Tolan is with Knight and is doing double-duty as his caddy.
"Today was an absolute thing of beauty," Tolan said. "He did an awesome job of playing the shot in front of him and not worrying about his opponent or anybody else was up to, which I think is so important in match. It's easy to get caught up in everything going on and not be laser focused on the shot at hand."
From a coaching standpoint, Tolan, who played in the event twice as a teenager and once as a Buff, has been a godsend for Knight.
"I would say his best advice he is telling me to just take care of myself and my own game and I'll have success out there," Knight said. "Just me versus Merion. If I manage to do that, I'll be in a great spot."
NOTES: The second round was completed early Wednesday; Knight remained tied for 33rd but sophomore Tyler Long finished tied for 159th, besting 129 others in the massive 312-man field, including several top collegians … Knight's mother, father and grandfather are with him, and they will be joined by CU head coach Roy Edwards for Thursday's competition … Knight will be looking to become the fifth Buffalo to make it out of the Round of 32 to join the late Dale Douglass (1959), Matt Potter (1987), David Oraee (2015) and Justin Biwer (2022); no CU golfer has reached the quarterfinals … Tolan was one of three assistant coaches playing caddy with New Mexico and Pepperdine, but Tolan is the last one standing … Noah Kent defeated Pepperdine freshman Kailer Stone, 1 up, going ahead in the see-saw match on the 17th hole … Merion has hosted four U.S. Opens, Ben Hogan winning the first in 1950, Justin Rose the last in 2013 with Lee Trevino and David Graham in-between … The remaining schedule has the quarterfinals on Friday, the semifinals on Saturday and the 36-hole championship match on Sunday … Television coverage will be on the NBC Sports Network and Peacock.
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