Log in
My Account
Subscribe 99¢ for 3 months
Newsletter

Today's Digital Newspaper

The Denver Gazette

loader-image
weather icon 64°F
Weather from WeatherAPI

Daily Weather Report
Powered By:

Login
My Account
Subscribe
Newsletter

Archive Information

Carrier Portal

Search

Buy Our Photos

Colorado native Jim Knous eagles fourth playoff hole to win Inspirato Colorado Open

By July 27, 2025 | updated 4 months ago

Jim Knous Colorado Open
Colorado native Jim Knous hits a shot on Saturday during the third round of the Colorado Open at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club. (Troy Freeman/Colorado Open)
Chris Schmaedeke chris.schmaedeke@gazette.com

Colorado native Jim Knous this time got it done in the playoff and did so in extraordinary fashion.

The former Colorado School of Mines golfer holed out for eagle on the fourth playoff hole Sunday to beat Sam Saunders to win the Inspirato Colorado Open at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club.

Knous lost in a playoff last year to Aurora native Davis Bryant.

Coming into the final round, Knous, a former PGA Tour player, was three shots back of Saunders. Knous shot the low round of the tournament with a 62 that included 10 birdies and one bogey. He finished at 22-under after 72 holes.

Saunders, who shot 65 Sunday and won the event in 2019, and Knous made par on the first two playoff holes before both making bogey on the third playoff hole. Knous holed out on the fourth hole to claim his first Colorado Open title.

Fort Collins’ AJ Ott finished in third place, five shots back of Saunders and Knous. Bryant, the defending champion, finished in a tie for 11th. Colorado natives Zahkai Brown and Connor Jones ended the tournament in a tie for 15th place.

Knous took home the $50,000 winner’s share after last year’s runner-up finish. He becomes the second straight Colorado native to win the tournament. Bryant was the first winner from Colorado since Jonathan Kaye in 2017.

Knous, who grew up in Basalt, recently retired from the PGA Tour, where he played in over 40 tournaments in his career. He currently works for PING in Arizona.

Colorado State’s Charlie Tucker of Castle Pines fired a 5-under-par round of 66 to finish as the low amateur at 8-under.

Tags
Chris Schmaedeke

Reporter

PREV

PREVIOUS

Locals in the hunt after third round of Inspirato Colorado Open

Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save The leaderboard at the Inspirato Colorado Open has familiar names in the hunt for the title. Five golfers in the top 15 have Colorado ties and are within five shots of Albuquerque’s Sam Saunders, who is leading at 16-under after Saturday’s third-round at Green Valley […]

NEXT

NEXT UP

Colorado native Jim Knous' win at Inspirato Colorado Open the 'one he always wanted' | Golf Insider

A win at the Inspirato Colorado Open was missing from Jim Knous’ resume. The Basalt native has played all over world, including time on the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and DP World Tour. But a win at one of the more prestigious state opens at home always eluded him. That drought ended Sunday after […]
Welcome Back.

Streak: 9 days i

Stories you've missed since your last login:

Stories you've saved for later:

Recommended stories based on your interests:

Edit my interests