The former Colorado School of Mines golfer tied for 10th place in his first tournaent as a PGA Tour rookie, at the Safeway Open in October.
Then on Sunday, in just his eighth career start on the circuit, the 29-year-old not only matched his age with a very respectable 29th place at Torrey Pines in San Diego, but he made the first hole-in-one at the Farmers Insurance Open since 2015.
The native of Basalt aced the 193-yard third hole — his 12th of the day — at the South Course, using an 8-iron. (He’s pictured signing the ball after the feat, in a photo on Twitter.)
Knous played his final 10 holes in 5 under par and shot a 3-under-par 69 on Sunday. That gave him an 8-under 280 total.
Another golfer who grew up in Colorado, Denver native Wyndham Clark, also posted a top-40 finish on Sunday, placing 35th. But after coming into the final round in 11th place, Clark struggled on his final nine holes, playing it in 4-over 40 despite two birdies. Clark closed with a 75 for a 281 total.
Justin Rose won the title on Sunday with a 267 total.
For all the scores from the Farmers Insurance Open, CLICK HERE.
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Despite very stiff winds Sunday and Monday, and strong rain on Sunday at Torrey Pines South, the former Colorado State University golfer parred each of his last 10 holes and finished eighth at the Farmers Insurance Open.
The Scotsman started the final round very poorly on Sunday, playing the first eight holes in 5 over par. But then he steadied the ship despite all the wind and rain on Sunday afternoon. And with the weather leading to the tournament conclusion being pushed back to Monday, he ran his streak of consecutive pars to 10.
Laird’s 5-over-par 77 in the final round — a stroke below the field average — left him at 1-under-par 287 overall, five strokes behind champion Brandt Snedeker, who finished his last round on Sunday.
The top-10 showing was Laird’s first on the PGA Tour since placing seventh at this same event on Feb. 8, 2015. In the 2015-16 wraparound season, Laird hadn’t placed better than 40th until Monday, when he earned $175,500.
Laird, the 2004 Denver Open champion, has won three times on the PGA Tour, with the last coming in 2013.