Jake Knapp entered Sunday’s final round of the Mexico Open looking to change his life. Knapp earned his first PGA Tour win less than two years after he worked as a security guard at a nightclub.
Knapp spent nearly nine months as a bouncer from late 2021 to early 2022.
The win netted him $1,458,000. It is no exaggeration to say that his life will change forever.
The 24-year-old PGA Tour rookie held a four-stroke lead into the final round. But he saw that lead disappear after just seven holes.
Finland’s Sami Valimaki was in good form, birdieing the fourth and sinking a 6-foot eagle putt on the par-4 seventh.
Knapp, on the other hand, struggled on the front nine, bogeyed two of his first three holes and needed 36 strokes to go. He hit just two fairways on Sunday, a far cry from his 8-under 63.
“Today definitely wasn’t my best. I knew it was going to be nerve-wracking and tough. I said to Mike, [his caddie]”After the first three holes, it was the worst I could play, but I’m still two shots behind,” Knapp said after his win.
“I was really excited about how we played in the final drive,” he said.
Photo by: Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images
In fact, he calmly played the back nine at 1 under and won by two strokes at 19 under.
He then paid tribute to his late grandfather, who died of cancer last year.
Knapp is not your typical PGA Tour golfer.
Strolling around the course with a blonde mullet. The polo shirt he’s wearing is from Coastal Clouds, an e-cigarette company. Rumor has it that he loves playing Call of Duty.
Yet here he is, winning on the PGA Tour in his first full season. Knapp finished 12th in the Korn Ferry Tour rankings last year.
If the rookie’s play this week is any indication, this won’t be the last we hear from him.
Kendall Capps is the senior editor of SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow @_PlayingThrough on all major social media platforms.
