WiretoWire: Jake Knapp’s time to shine in Mexico

Rookie Jake Knapp earns first TOUR title at Mexico Open at Vidanta

Jake Knapp might be golf’s most interesting man. The UCLA alum spent eight years across the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Canada before earning his first PGA TOUR card – including time as a bouncer at a California nightclub to help pay bills and keep his dream afloat. The last three letters of Knapp’s Instagram handle (@knapptime_ltd) stand for “living the dream,” and Knapp’s golf dream crystallized Sunday at the Mexico Open at Vidanta. Knapp battled an uneven driver Sunday (hitting just two of 13 fairways) to an even-par 71, good for a 19-under total at Vidanta Vallarta and a two-stroke win over Finland’s Sami Valimaki. In just his fifth TOUR start as a member, Knapp earned 500 FedExCup points and secured exempt TOUR status through 2026 and spots in this year’s PLAYERS, Masters and PGA Championship, among other perks. The long-hitting, easygoing Californian has gleaned insight from sources including a mental coach he met while working security at a wedding, an Anaheim Ducks executive and even the Chinese Bamboo Tree parable in his journey to the PGA TOUR. It all came together on a roller-coaster Sunday in Mexico, and after putting out on the 72nd hole, he looked to the sky and saluted his late grandfather Gordon Bowles, whose initials are inscribed on a tattoo below his left bicep. Bowles died of cancer last year, but Knapp still sends him a text after each round. Safe to say he’ll remember Sunday’s message forever.

The Florida Swing begins at PGA National

The PGA TOUR heads to the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches at scenic PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Chris Kirk returns to take on “The Bear Trap,” looking to become the event's first repeat winner since Jack Nicklaus himself in 1977-78. The 2012 champion Rory McIlroy will be teeing it up here for the first time since 2019. Other past champions highlighted in the field include Sepp Straka (2022), Sungjae Im (2020), Keith Mitchell (2019) and Rickie Fowler (2017). Shane Lowry, who finished runner-up to Straka in 2022, also returns to PGA National after a top-five finish here last year. New TOUR member Nick Dunlap is in the field for his first Full-Field Event since winning The American Express. Ryan Fox, Victor Perez and Thorbjørn Olesen highlight a group of names in the field by finishing in the top 10 of the DP World Tour rankings. Chase Johnson, who was in the field and made the cut at The Genesis Invitational, will play the Cognizant Classic on a sponsor exemption. Additionally, two-time champion Padraig Harrington (2005, '15) is in the field after making the cut in his first TOUR start of the season last week at the Mexico Open. The winner of the Cognizant Classic will earn 500 FedExCup points and a share of the $9 million purse.

Video of the week

Mic check

“I love the game of golf so I’m so thankful to have been given this opportunity and chance to take on the role of lead analyst for NBC Sports over the next two weeks, combining my passion for the sport with my knowledge as a player to deliver inside-the-ropes insight to the national U.S. audience." – Luke Donald on joining NBC’s commentary team for the start of the Florida Swing

By the numbers

4 – Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez made four straight back-nine birdies in the final round of PGA TOUR Champions’ Trophy Hassan II en route to a one-stroke victory in Morocco for his first TOUR-sanctioned title.

28 – Jake Knapp’s 7-under 28 on the front nine Saturday marked the lowest nine-hole score in Mexico Open at Vidanta history. It also tied Wyndham Clark (Round 3, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am) for the lowest nine-hole score on TOUR this season.

117 – This week marks the 117th playing of the Visa Argentina Open presented by Macro, Latin America’s longest-running golf tournament, and the event’s first iteration as part of the Korn Ferry Tour schedule.

Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10

The Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10 highlights and rewards the extraordinary level of play required to earn a spot in the TOP 10 at the conclusion of the FedExCup Regular Season as determined by the FedExCup standings. The competition recognizes and awards the most elite in golf.