Thursday afternoon welcomed the beginning of the Cognizant Traditional within the Palm Seashores, showcasing among the prime expertise round. The primary spherical of play completed with some stable outings, however none extra spectacular than Jake Knapp. Coming into his identify into the historical past books, along with his fifteenth sub 60 spherical in PGA Tour historical past.
Knapp Robust First Spherical at Cognizant Traditional
The primary spherical of play Thursday for the professional since 2016, completed with a birdie on the 18th inexperienced. With a 59, he has set himself up for a robust lead headed into the second spherical of play come Friday. Beginning out the primary 5 holes for birdie, Knapp recorded 12 in whole. Proving to be environment friendly all morning lengthy, he had the assistance of his two new golf equipment added on to his bag for the week forward.
This week bringing out a TaylorMade massive stick, within the Qi35 which proved to be a wise transfer early on. Not solely bringing within the Qi35 but in addition a Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.2 Circle T mallet putter. Not solely did the additions show to be modern-day phrase scrambles, however a a lot wanted change for the chief via one spherical in accordance with studies.
“Simply felt like I wanted to really feel one thing a bit of totally different, whether or not it’s for — in my head typically it’s for a pair days or a pair weeks or no matter it is perhaps,” Knapp mentioned. “But it surely was extra like strategic based mostly on how I really feel like my misses have been recently with the putter. I don’t assume I’ve been placing terribly, simply one thing feel-wise that I simply felt like I wanted to really feel one thing totally different.
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Can Knapp proceed his scorching streak?
Knapp’s 12 birdies and 16/18 Greens in Regulation spark discussions on extra than simply his recreation. The veteran completed with a 59 and prompted talks on if the course was a lot simpler than anticipated. These like Daniel Berger and Jordan Spieth, spoke on how they seen the fairways to be softer and decrease roughs across the course. Sadly for them, that solely appears to be a continued profit for Knapp in the long term.
His capacity to showcase effectivity with the change to his golf equipment in spherical one, will set him up for continued success. With a present 4 stroke lead, he’s on the lookout for his second ever profession victory. Within the 2024 season he was capable of safe a win on the Mexico Open, additionally ending the season tied for first within the Grant Thornton Invitational. With the ball within the court docket of Knapp, it’s as much as him to carry on to a first-rate lead headed into these subsequent upcoming rounds on the Cognizant Traditional.
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© Jeff Romance / USA TODAY NETWORK through Imagn Photographs
