Thirty-year-old Knoxville native, Allie Knight, fulfills her lifelong dream of playing professional golf on the LPGA Tour, having qualified for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship every year since 2021.
Knight is an LPGA Class A/PGA Professional who serves as a teacher and coach at Fairways and Greens Golf Center in Tennessee, her hometown driving range where she grew up playing. She is a U.S. Kids Certified Golf Coach who teaches students of all ages and levels.
After working in various roles within the golf industry, Knight found her passion in teaching. She runs the junior camps in the mornings and spends her afternoons giving lessons to her students. Knight gets the most joy from her leading her junior camps and watching the kids run around with smiles on their faces as they learn the simple etiquette of game and how to fix ball marks on their course. Seeing her junior students develop a love for the game like she did is why she loves being a teacher.
She also takes full advantage of her free time to work on her own game and prepare for the big leagues. She is no stranger to competition.
At only six years old, Knight was introduced to the game of golf by her father, who became her first coach, caddie and soon to be travel buddy from tournament to tournament. By middle school, her goal was to earn a scholarship and play collegiate golf. After leading her high school team to four consecutive state tournaments, earning All-State accolades twice on the way to winning district titles, as well as leading her team to regional crowns, Knight achieved her goal and earned that scholarship.
Knight played golf for the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders from 2011-2015. She helped the team capture their first-ever conference championship while securing a spot in an NCAA regional.
When asked about her passion for golf, “I love competing,” said Knight. “I’ve been doing it from such a young age, and I thrive off of the nerves and feels. That competitive edge is just addicting.”
Competition ran through her veins, so it was no surprise when Knight began her Rookie Year on the Epson Tour in 2016. She went on to make 15 career cuts. And in 2020 carded her lowest round, at 14-under-par 58 at the Dandridge Pro-Am at Dandridge Golf and Country Club. But after years grinding on tour, she knew she had to make an important decision: continue pushing for status on the LPGA Tour or pursue another path.
Teaching golf opened another path for her. As an LPGA Professional, she discovered her passion for helping others. But it is professional golf that fuels her passion and sets the example for her students. Competing is what gives her the most credibility as a teacher.
She first qualified in 2021 to play in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, one of the five majors on the LPGA Tour schedule. “The very first KPMG I played in was in Atlanta,” says Knight after reflecting on her experience. “I had a lot of family and friends come down and watch. I remember walking down the fairway and having all my friends on the side. Seeing them just kind of made my heart feel full, and it’s just something I will remember forever just to have that support there following me.”
By regularly competing in the LPGA Professionals National Championship, Knight has qualified every year since for the same LPGA major event. She is now preparing to tee it up for her fourth time with the best players in the world at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club in Washington.
With the goal of making the cut as she prepares for this year’s major event, Knight shares a piece of advice she would give her younger self after 24 years of playing. “I would tell my younger self to have fun and enjoy every moment,” she reflects. “I hope my juniors see me living my dreams and know that you can reach your goals. It just takes a lot of hard work and determination, but never give up on your dreams.”
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