Golfer Chokes Up During First LPGA Victory After Brother's Death: 'He's Watching from Heaven'

A 22-year-old golfer said her late brother was “watching in heaven” when she claimed her first LPGA title this weekend.

Cheyenne Knight was just 12 years old when her brother, Brandon Burgett, was killed when a drunk driver slammed into his vehicle, according to LGPA.com. Since then, Knight said, she keeps his memory close to her heart when she’s competing.

“When I’m on the golf course, I always feel Brandon’s presence,” Knight told LGPA.com before the start of the season. “And he is going to be with me every step of my journey on the LPGA Tour.”

During the Volunteers of America Classic in Texas on Saturday, Knight needed a top-five finish to keep her tour card, Golf World reported. With so much on the line, she did far better by winning the event with a two-stroke lead over runner-ups Marie Green and Brittany Altomare.

“When I got my card, I said this is the event I was most looking forward to,” Knight told Golf Channel after the win. “Who would have thought this would help me secure my card? This means everything, knowing I can persevere, and I’m strong enough to do anything.”

To add even more significance to the occasion, Knight finished with a 33 on the back nine, which is a meaningful number for her — it was her brother’s jersey number while playing football, according to the outlet.

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“I think I had a second caddie out there,” Knight, from Texas, told Golf World. “I know he’s watching in heaven, just so proud of me.”

The siblings had a close relationship before his death, and Knight says she always saw Burgett as an example of what she wanted to become.

“Growing up, I wanted to do everything Brandon did,” Knight she told Golf Channel. “He was a great athlete, and I’m super competitive, I think, because of him. He really helped me become the athlete I am today. He was a great man, and I felt like he was watching today.”

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With the win, Knight earned a $195,000 check, and gets to finally cross the feat off her career bucket list.

“I’ve prayed about this,” she said. “It’s been a really hard year. I always knew that even though I didn’t understand the timing, God was in control.”

“My first LPGA win in my home state,” Knight continued, “it means more to me than anything.”