Memorable Week

After becoming first CU golfer to make U.S. Amateur quarterfinals, Brandon Knight can’t turn early lead into another win as he falls to Georgia’s Carter Loflin at Merion Golf Club

By Gary Baines – 8/14/2026

The magic carpet ride ended on Friday for University of Colorado golfer Brandon Knight — but oh what a ride it was while it lasted.

After qualifying for match play in the U.S. Amateur — making the top 64 out of 312 players — then beating the No. 25-ranked amateur in the world, the 2024 U.S. Am runner-up and the amateur ranked 58th in the world, Knight fell victim in the quarterfinals to the stellar wedge play of Carter Loflin of Duluth, Ga.

Loflin, who wrapped up his senior season at the University of Georgia in the late spring, rallied from a 2-down deficit — with a stellar winning pitch-in for par, then four winning birdies in a seven-hole stretch — to defeat Knight 3 and 2 at historic Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.

Despite the loss, it was an outstanding week for Knight, a senior-to-be from Pleasanton, Calif. On Friday, he became the first CU golfer ever to play in the U.S. Am quarterfinals. And, sitting No. 534 in the world among amateurs, he was the lowest-ranked player to make the final 8. Plus, as noted above, he beat three top-100 amateurs to get as far as he did — Connor Graham (No. 25), Noah Kent (No. 89) and Gaven Lane (No. 58).

And, by making the quarterfinals, Knight will be exempt for the 2027 U.S. Amateur at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y., assuming he remains an amateur.

 “I had a blast all week,” Knight told CUBuffs.com. “Merion was a ton of fun and it was an incredible atmosphere to play in. This week definitely gave me a ton of confidence going into my senior year and I can’t wait to be back with the guys. I played solid today, (but I) just couldn’t get any putts to drop and apply any pressure. (Loflin) played great and didn’t gift me any holes for momentum. (It was) still a fun day overall and a very positive week.”

In Friday’s quarterfinals, Knight got off to a good start, winning three of the first four holes to gain a 2-up lead. He won No. 1 with a 10-foot birdie, then 3 and 4 with pars. But Knight wouldn’t win another hole as Loflin heated up after being 2 over par after four holes.

On No. 5, Loflin holed out a pitch from well off the green — one in which his ball broke so much that it fell into the cup at a right angle — to start turning the momentum with a winning par as Knight made bogey.

That’s “probably the coolest thing I’ve ever done, to be completely honest with you,” Loflin said of the chip-in. “I can’t even remember the last time I chipped in, and that one was pretty good.”

After the players tied No. 6 with pars, Loflin began turning the screws with his wedge play. He birdied Nos. 7 (from 1 foot), 8 (a big-breaking 10-footer), 10 (4 feet), and 13 (4 feet) to turn what had been a 2-down deficit into a 3-up lead. 

From there, Knight and Loflin both parred the next two holes. Then, with Loflin 3 up with three left, he gave Knight a bit of an opening by leaving his second shot on the par-4 16th short of the green in the deep rough, while Knight had reached the front of the putting surface out of a tough lie in the rough. Loflin’s pitch out of heavy grass finished 25 feet from the cup, then Knight’s 70-foot putt ran about 9 feet past.

After Loflin missed his par try, Knight had to make his par attempt to extend the match, but it just missed, landing Loflin the victory.

This pitch on the fifth hole, which Carter Loflin would hole for par, helped turn the momentum in his favor.

For the 16 holes of the match, Knight was 4 over par, while Loflin was even par.

Still, it was an historic run at the U.S. Amateur for Knight — certainly by CU standards.

CU athletic director Fernando Lovo, at a fall sports media day press conference Friday morning, led things off by calling what Knight had done at Merion “a really incredible accomplishment.”

Indeed, before this year, the furthest a CU golfer had advanced at the U.S. Am was the round of 16 — managed by Dale Douglass (1959), Matt Potter (1987), David Oraee (2015) and Justin Biwer (2022). 

CU associate head coach Derek Tolan (right) helped Knight’s cause considerably this week by serving as caddie.

This week, helping Knight’s cause was CU associate head coach — and two-time Colorado Open champion — Derek Tolan, who caddied for the senior. In both the round of 32 (2 down after four holes) and the round of 16 (3 down after four), Knight had to overcome significant early deficits to advance. 

And on both Thursday and Friday, Knight’s matches garnered signifiant TV/streaming coverage from NBCSN and Peacock.

Plus, Knight got plenty of experience on one of the world’s most storied courses — one that’s hosted five U.S. Opens, and where Bobby Jones completed his single-season Grand Slam in 1930.

This week was certainly a big plus for Knight, who is set for his senior season of college golf at CU.

Knight was competing in the U.S. Amateur for the third time, but made his first appearance in match play. 

Results for all the players with strong Colorado ties at the U.S. Amateur in Ardmore, Pa.:

MATCH PLAY QUARTERFINALS (Friday)

Carter Loflin, Duluth, Ga. def. CU golfer Brandon Knight, 3 and 2

MATCH PLAY ROUND OF 16 (Thursday)

CU golfer Brandon Knight def. Gaven Lane, Argyle, Texas, 1 up

MATCH PLAY ROUND OF 32 (Thursday)

CU golfer Brandon Knight def. Noah Kent, Naples, Fla., 3 and 2

MATCH PLAY ROUND OF 64 (Wednesday)

CU golfer Brandon Knight def. Connor Graham, Scotland, 6 and 5

STROKE PLAY (Monday and Tuesday)

Advances to Match Play

33. CU golfer Brandon Knight 69-72–141

Failed to Advance to Match Play

70. Former Coloradan Parker Edens 74-69—143

160. CU golfer Tyler Long, Evergreen 74-73–147

197. Collin Engelhardt, Castle Rock 73-76–149

259. Former CSU golfer Bryce Hanstad 81-72–153

294. Former Colorado School of Mines golfer Lukas Taggart 78-80–158

For all the results from the U.S. Amateur, CLICK HERE.