Jake Knapp’s remarkable first-round score of 59 at the Cognizant Classic couldn’t secure the win for him as Joe Highsmith swooped in, clinching a two-shot victory at PGA National. Highsmith’s triumph marked his debut Tour victory, making him the inaugural player in nearly a decade to clinch a win after just scraping through the cut-off after 36 holes.
When Knapp delivered his staggering 59 on Thursday, spectators began to wonder if the Cognizant Classic course was too undemanding for the players. But the game started to show its teeth during the third and fourth rounds with firmer greens and gusty winds. Despite Knapp’s impressive 12 under par score after the first round, he could only gain three strokes throughout the rest of the tournament.
The final round saw Knapp struggle to get into a rhythm, undoubtedly leaving him with a twinge of disappointment as he missed out on securing his second Tour win. Michael Kim, who played with Knapp on Sunday, found himself captivated by the 30-year-old’s daring strategy of teeing his ball extremely close to the markers, similar to the tactic used by Tom Kim at the Sony Open.
Pushing the boundaries to maximize the tee box, Knapp consistently placed his ball within a hair’s breadth of the marker. This risky move could have led to serious injury with any wayward swing. Commenting on Knapp’s audacious approach, Kim revealed his unease in his post-tournament thread.
“As many of you have seen, Jake Knapp teed it up REALLY close to the right tee marker multiple times, and even I was a bit nervous,” Kim wrote.
Despite Knapp’s struggles in the final round, he managed to par on his following seven holes after a devastating triple-bogey seven on the par-four 11th. This left him trailing four shots behind the victor, Highsmith. Regardless of this setback, Kim expressed admiration for the way Knapp kept his cool, especially after the 11th hole.
Kim admitted, “I was super impressed with his demeanor even after the triple.”
Meanwhile, Kim, who has been enjoying a successful streak on the PGA Tour, secured a tied sixth finish at PGA National. Following missed cuts at the Sony Open and Farmers Insurance Open, Kim achieved second place at the WM Phoenix Open and a tie for the 13th spot at the Genesis Invitational.
With a recent 13th place finish at the Mexico Open, the 31-year-old golfer has already surpassed his total earnings from the 2024 season. Currently sitting at 16th place in the FedEx Cup standings, Kim is hoping to move up the ranks and contend in some of the Tour’s most significant events. With his strong online following, his second Tour victory this year would certainly be met with widespread enthusiasm.
