Jake Knapp joined one of the most exclusive clubs in professional golf when he shot a bogey-free 59 in the first round of the Cognizant Classic. It is just the 15th sub-60 round on the PGA Tour and the first ever for an event on the circuit held in the state of Florida.It was clear from the start of the round that Knapp would go low as he started with five consecutive birdies on the first five holes. He then parred the 6th through the 8th and birdied the 9th to make the turn on an extraordinary 6-under 29.Jake Knapp didn’t take his foot off the gas on the back nine, adding five more birdies through 15. With three holes to play, Knapp was on the verge of the legendary sub-60 score, and even the PGA Tour all-time record (58) was on the table.Knapp parred the par-4 16th after missing a 26-foot putt for birdie. Something similar happened on the par-3 17th, where his tee shot reached the green but he missed a 14-foot putt for birdie.The 30-year-old needed a birdie on the par-5 18th to secure a sub-60 round, and he delivered in spectacular fashion.Knapp hit the fairway with his 335-yard tee shot and then reached the green with his second shot, leaving the ball 19 feet from the hole and a chance to putt for eagle. Although he missed the putt and could not tie the PGA Tour record, he did shoot the mythical 59.
Jake Knapp of the United States poses with his scorecard and his ball after shooting a 59 during the first round of the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches 2025 at PGA National Resort And…
Jake Knapp of the United States poses with his scorecard and his ball after shooting a 59 during the first round of the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches 2025 at PGA National Resort And Spa on February 27, 2025 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
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This is the career low score for Jake Knapp and also the low score for 18 holes at the Cognizant Classic. The previous tournament record was 61, set by Brian Harman in 2012 and tied by Matt Jones in 2021.After his exceptional performance, Knapp highlighted the way he was able to stay focused on his game despite the fact that he was performing a feat.”I knew obviously I had it going really early,” Knapp told to the media after the round.”But at the same time, that can happen and then it can kind of fizzle out pretty quick. I thought I did a good job of just trying to focus on shot by shot and not letting what happened or what could happen affect anything.”
Several players, including Billy Horschel and Joel Dahmen, expressed concern about the situation at PGA National, saying it was easier than in the past. On the topic, Knapp said it is a course that favors positional play:”I just think it’s a course that doesn’t have – there’s no real goofiness to it or anything like that. It’s just kind of right in front of you. It’s very execution based. You just have to hit the shots that the hole calls for.”The PGA Tour low round (58) was shot by Jim Furyk at the 2016 Travelers Championship. Furyk himself is the only man to have shot more than one sub-60 round on the course, as he shot a 59 at the 2013 BMW Championship.Moro Golf: Cognizant Classic Returning Champ Details Masters ‘Hazing’ For First-Timers