In stunning turnaround, Jake Knapp breaks 1-day-old course record with 61 in Rocket Classic
Jake Knapp acknowledges the crowd on the 17th green during the second round of the Rocket Classic.
Raj Mehta
Going really low in golf is about mindset as much as anything, and Jake Knapp learned at an early age to not hold back when his clubs got hot. As a high school junior in Southern California, Knapp fired 58 on his home course at Costa Mesa Country Club, and at 18, the future UCLA player shot 61 in a U.S. Open qualifier at Newport Beach. And just this past March, Knapp opened the Cognizant Classic with a 12-birdie 59.
To start this week’s Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club, Knapp looked nothing like that player. He opened with a deflating even-par 72 (with one birdie) in a first round that was so ripe for scoring that two players—Aldrich Potgieter and Kevin Roy—polished off course-record 62s only a few minutes apart.
“I was just kind of bummed last night. To shoot even par the first day just feels like you’re shooting yourself in the foot,” Knapp said on Friday.
He slept on it, put it behind him and in the Rocket’s second round went into the Knapp version of being unconscious. The 31-year-old notched an eagle and nine birdies on his way to shooting an 11-under 61 that ensured the first-round records lasted only one day.
The performance vaulted Knapp 123 spots up the leaderboard and into a tie for seventh as afternoon play continued. Chris Kirk shot a second straight 65 in the morning to share the lead with Philip Knowles (66-64), who chipped in three times for eagle on his day.
Knapp, who won the Mexico Open last season as a tour rookie, said the round felt “very easy” and probably ranked among the top five in his career.
“It’s a course where if I drive it well, I have a lot of wedges,” he said. “… The quality of golf was really, really good. I drove it well and was able to make some putts, too.”
The strokes-gained differences between his two rounds were striking. He improved by more than three strokes in approach, by nearly six in putting and four shots in tee to green. Knapp was 3-for-3 in scrambling, too.
“Played a little bit more aggressive today maybe, but the wind was up so I wouldn't say it was playing easier for sure,” Knapp said. “I just was playing a little more aggressive and hit it a little bit better.”
Starting on the 10th, Knapp didn’t make his first birdie until the 13th, but then shot five under over the next five holes, including making a 34-foot eagle putt at the par-5 17th. His second nine would be even stronger, with Knapp three times making back-to-back birdies in shooting 30. He reached the par-5 seventh green in two shots, but missed a 10-footer for eagle.
“I'm definitely not afraid of shooting a low number,” Knapp said. “I feel like when I start making birdies, I want to make more. I was even kind of thinking about 59 when I stuck it close on my third to last for eagle and figured I could maybe eagle that and birdie the last two. … I think when you're playing well just try to stay out of my own way and just kind of keep doing what I'm doing and making more birdies.”
Knapp's best individual finish this season is a T-6 at Cognizant, where he disappointingly followed his 59 with 70-68-72. He did notch a third with partner Frankie Capan III in the team Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
