A lot can change in three years.
For PGA golfer Jake Knapp, everything did.
Three years ago, Knapp was working as a bouncer at a restaurant that doubled as a nightclub back in his hometown in Costa Mesa, California.
On Thursday, he made PGA Tour history.
Knapp carded 12-under 59 in the first round of the 2025 Cognizant Classic at PGA National Resort (The Champion Course).
He made 12 birdies and six pars.
It was only the 15th sub-60 round in the history of the PGA Tour.
It was the first 59 at PGA National Resort in tournament history and was also the first ever sub-60 round to take place in the state of Florida.
Knapp kept himself cool, calm and collected throughout the opening round.
“I knew obviously I had it going really early, but at the same time, that can happen and then it can kind of fizzle out pretty quick,” Knapp said after his opening round.
“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.
“Then once I made the long putt on 15, it was like, okay, now this is kind of here.
“I didn’t really think about it (on 18), to be honest with you.
“I think you start thinking about it too much, you’re just going to add pressure to something that’s very unnecessary.
“At the same time, if it was Sunday and the tournament was coming down to the line, it might be different, but at the same time it’s Thursday morning and I’m doing my best to just put myself in position going into the weekend.
“Tried to just focus on the shot at hand and trust what I was doing all day.”
Knapp is looking to capture only his second-ever PGA Tour win, after finishing first at the 2024 Mexico Open at Vidanta.
After Thursday’s opening round, he has put himself in outstanding position to do just that.
Three years ago, Knapp was breaking up drunken brawls in the streets of Orange County, now he is the world’s hottest golf at the moment.
In early 2024, right before he won his first PGA Tour event, Knapp reflected on his journey and temporary gig as a bouncer.
“They needed a security guy, and I was like, ‘I don’t know if I’m big enough, but I can stand there and look tough,’” Knapp recalled.
“I’d work Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights and special events, which allowed me to practice until five or six on Friday, and then go to the gym and eat dinner and go straight there, work until 2 or 3 a.m., come straight home, go to sleep, wake up at 10, course at 11, practice until 5, do it again.”
“It made me work a little bit harder and not take golf for granted.”
The 30-year-old has already gone from bouncer to PGA Tour winner once.
That’s old news.
Knapp is now looking to cement himself as one of the tour’s most dangerous golfers.
And if Thursday is any indication for how he plays the rest of the weekend, then the rest of the field may as well pack it up now.
