Thursday afternoon welcomed the start of the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, showcasing some of the top talent around. The first round of play finished with some solid outings, but none more impressive than Jake Knapp. Entering his name into the history books, with his 15th sub 60 round in PGA Tour history.
Knapp Strong First Round at Cognizant Classic
The first round of play Thursday for the pro since 2016, finished with a birdie at the 18th green. With a 59, he has set himself up for a strong lead headed into the second round of play come Friday. Starting out the first five holes for birdie, Knapp recorded 12 in total. Proving to be efficient all morning long, he had the help of his two new clubs added on to his bag for the week ahead.
This week bringing out a TaylorMade big stick, in the Qi35 which proved to be a smart move early on. Not only bringing in the Qi35 but also a Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.2 Circle T mallet putter. Not only did the additions prove to be modern day word scrambles, but a much needed change for the leader through one round according to reports.
“Just felt like I needed to feel something a little different, whether it’s for — in my head sometimes it’s for a couple days or a couple weeks or whatever it might be,” Knapp said. “But it was more like strategic based on how I feel like my misses have been lately with the putter. I don’t think I’ve been putting terribly, just something feel-wise that I just felt like I needed to feel something different.
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Can Knapp continue his hot streak?
Knapp’s 12 birdies and 16/18 Greens in Regulation spark discussions on more than just his game. The veteran finished with a 59 and prompted talks on if the course was much easier than expected. Those like Daniel Berger and Jordan Spieth, spoke on how they viewed the fairways to be softer and lower roughs around the course. Unfortunately for them, that only seems to be a continued benefit for Knapp in the long run.
His ability to showcase efficiency with the change to his clubs in round one, will set him up for continued success. With a current four stroke lead, he is looking for his second ever career victory. In the 2024 season he was able to secure a win at the Mexico Open, also ending the season tied for first in the Grant Thornton Invitational. With the ball in the court of Knapp, it’s up to him to hold on to a prime lead headed into these next upcoming rounds at the Cognizant Classic.
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