The successful, heavily recruited Wildcat signs a letter of intent with the Seminoles.
By IZZY GOULD
Published November 15, 2005
WESLEY CHAPEL - One round of golf defined Cameron Knight's high school career.
The Wesley Chapel junior was lost and falling deep into the abyss of the 2004 Class 2A tournament. He began Day 2 with bogey, then knocked his ball beneath a tree a few holes later.
A drop rule sparked his comeback.
The tree was a casualty of the 2004 hurricanes, so Knight was permitted to take a drop. He punched into the fairway, then hit his third shot roughly 180 yards to within 2 feet of the pin.
Knight went on to win the state tournament by two strokes (71-65-136).
"That hole jump-started him, seeing the kids from our team, the timing of that," Wesley Chapel coach Alan Black said. "That would make some kids nervous. But he lit up and went on to shoot 65, his lowest score ever. When you shoot your lowest score ever on the second day to win a state title, that says a lot."
Florida State certainly thinks so.
Knight signed a letter of intent last week with the Seminoles, ensuring he will play the next four years in his home state. He also was chased by Arizona, Virginia, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Auburn, Vanderbilt, Boston College, Central Florida, North Florida, Georgia Southern and Tulane.
Knight could not be reached for comment Monday, but Black believes his star golfer is a good fit for the Seminoles. He said Knight wanted to play in-state because of the great weather and proximity to home.
Knight also knows some of the golfers at Florida State from playing in junior tournaments.
"He had his official visit up there a couple of weeks ago," Black said. "I think that kind of clinched it. It looks like a real good fit for him."
Knight enjoyed plenty of accolades during his time at Wesley Chapel.
In 2004 he was the Florida High School Athletic Association player of the year, Florida Dairy Farmers golfer of the year, Florida Junior Tour player of the year and Greater Tampa Junior Golf Association player of the year. Knight also was a four-time most valuable player for the Wildcats.
Knight advanced to the region tournament this season and won his third Sunshine Athletic Conference championship.
Black believes Knight's work ethic is what makes him a good golfer.
"Any kid who excels as he did, has a passion for what he does and the sport, that leads to doing more work than the average kid," Black said.
"The passion doesn't always reflect in the work. ... He was on the golf course every day. There weren't many days that went by he wasn't working on something specific, working on drills. ... He always had goal in mind."
