Jake Knapp shot a remarkable 59 on Thursday in the first round of the 2025 Cognizant Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. In the process, it was the 15th time a golfer posted a score lower than 60 in PGA Tour history. Here was the reaction from X regarding Knapp’s sensational feat.
Fred Couples 🤝 Jake Knapp
Comparing two of the purest moves in the game. pic.twitter.com/ncwoFmhW4p
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) February 27, 2025
Comparing the golf swing of Jake Knapp to Fred Couples is high praise indeed. Couples was the 1992 Masters champion, 15-time PGA Tour winner, and first American golfer to be ever ranked first in the world based on the Official World Golf Rankings.
Jake Knapp’s girlfriend reacting to his 59 is so wholesome 🥹 pic.twitter.com/9B3bxviGlT
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 27, 2025
We did not know too much about Makena White, Jake Knapp’s girlfriend before Thursday. We do now. White was genuinely excited about Knapp’s ability to make golf history.
Two things can be true:
1. PGA National played significantly easier than usual today.
2. Jake Knapp will likely beat the field by 4 shots, which is a wildly impressive round. pic.twitter.com/jkMBUX5oT7
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) February 27, 2025
After the first round, Knapp had a four stroke lead on three golfers. Those at -8 were Americans Russell Henley and Daniel Berger, and Finland’s Sami Valimaki. Henley in fact was the highest ranked golfer in the Official World Golf Rankings participating in the Cognizant Classic at number 17.
“I could care less about the number, I just wanted to make as many birdies as I could.”
—Jake Knapp after shooting a record-setting 59 at the Cognizant Classic 🔥 pic.twitter.com/mQFqBqbvaf
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 27, 2025
In all, Knapp had 12 birdies and zero bogeys. He birdied the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, ninth, 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 18th holes.
Would have liked to defend my title this week but golf had other plans. Some good some ugly, but overall happy with the fight back this weekend. Can’t thank @MexicoOpenGolf for the hospitality and all the love from start to finish this week. pic.twitter.com/BpW5EUkg5N
— Jake Knapp (@knapptime_LTD) February 24, 2025
It was just over a year ago that Knapp won his only PGA title, the 2023 Mexican Open. He posted a four round score of -19, and beat Valimaki by two strokes. Ironically, it was Valimaki who was one of the three golfers to be in second place on Thursday.
