There are times on the PGA Tour when we’re all reminded just how good these guys really are.
And Friday at the Rocket Classic was no exception, when Knapp fired a scintillating round of 11-under par 61 in Detroit.
Knapp made history on the PGA Tour with his 61, becoming the first player since the tour’s inception in 1975 to shoot a sub-60 round and a round of 61 or lower in the same season.
The 31-year-old is very comfortable when he starts going low, and he has the kind of attitude that means all he thinks about is making more birdies and eagles.
Knapp was certainly in the zone on Friday at Detroit Golf Club as he made nine birdies and an eagle en route to his round of 61.
His second round at the Rocket Classic could not have been more different from his opening 18 holes on Thursday.
Jake Knapp was ‘upset’ before his course record 61 at the Rocket Classic
The American could have gone even lower at Detroit Golf Club on Friday, that’s the scary thing!
However, he most definitely would have settled for signing for a round of 11-under par in the end.
Knapp was asked if he did anything special after his first round that helped inspire him to shoot 61 on day two.
He said: “No. I was just probably upset all night and this morning so I think that maybe helped a little bit. No, I feel like I’ve been playing pretty well, and then yesterday I just kind of hit a lot of mediocre iron shots and wedge shots to like 20 feet and it’s just hard to make birdies when you do that. You needed to hit some close approach shots and I just didn’t do that yesterday. So played a little bit more aggressive today maybe, but the wind was up so I wouldn’t say it was playing easier for sure, I just was playing a little more aggressive and hit it a little bit better.“
He was then asked what he would have thought if someone would have told him last night he was going to shoot 61 on Friday.
Photo by Raj Mehta/Getty Images
Knapp replied: “That’s a great question. That’s tough. Probably would have believed you, to be honest, just based on the scores yesterday, but yeah, who knows. I don’t know, I was just kind of bummed last night because I felt like in the practice rounds and everything felt like I was hitting it pretty nice, and I know this course sets up well for me, so to shoot even par the first day just feels like you’re shooting yourself in the foot, but feels nice to bounce back with 61.“
The challenge now for Knapp will be to carry the form he showed on Friday on into the weekend in Detroit.
He’s too good to have only won once on the PGA Tour, and that may well change in Detroit come Sunday evening.
Jake Knapp’s PGA Tour career results
Knapp is somewhat of a late bloomer by PGA Tour standards.
Here is how his results look during his first couple of years on tour.
That record really isn’t good enough for a player of Knapp’s calibre.
He has a chance to take a big step forward this week in Detroit.
And if Knapp plays like he did on Friday during the final two rounds of the Rocket Classic, then he could well run away with the trophy.