DETROIT — In an astonishing display of skill, Jake Knapp has achieved an unprecedented milestone in PGA Tour history. During the Rocket Classic on Friday, Knapp executed a remarkable 11-under 61, shattering a tournament record that had been established only a day prior. In doing so, he became the first player in the tour’s history to break 60 and score a 61 or lower in the same season. However, this astonishing round still did not place him within the top six going into the weekend at Detroit Golf Club.
Sharing the lead after the second round at 14 under par were Chris Kirk, who carded a 65, Philip Knowles with a 64, and Andrew Putnam securing a 66. Close behind, Jackson Suber finished with a 65, trailing by just one stroke.
Aldrich Potgieter, who had tied with Kevin Roy for the lead after an impressive 62 in the first round, found himself two strokes back alongside Michael Thorbjornsen at 67 and Mark Hubbard at 69. Knapp joined a group of players, including Collin Morikawa with a 64, Hideki Matsuyama at 66, and Kevin Roy at 71, all three shots behind the leaders as they prepared for the third round.
Knapp, at 31 years old and fresh from a victory at the Mexico Open last season as a rookie, had a slow start in this tournament, ranking 130th among the 156 participants after an initial 72. Yet, he propelled himself back to contention with a flawless round marked by nine birdies and an eagle, free of bogeys.
“I was pretty upset throughout the night and into the morning, which might have actually helped,” Knapp reflected.
Ranked 99th globally, Knapp stands alone in achieving rounds of 61 or better twice within this season. Four months earlier, he narrowly missed equaling the tour’s scoring record set by Jim Furyk in 2016 when he shot a 59 at the Cognizant Classic, setting a tournament record before eventually tying for sixth.
Knapp also established a new 18-hole record at Detroit Golf Club, surpassing the previous day’s record set by Potgieter and Roy.
“When I start making birdies, I just want to keep going,” Knapp noted. “I was even contemplating another 59 after my approach shot on my third-to-last hole.”
In pursuit of his first PGA Tour victory, 28-year-old Knowles made a comeback after cutting through just two of 11 prior tournaments this year. “This year hasn’t been ideal by any means,” he admitted. “Golf is strange. When things aren’t going well, it’s hard to imagine playing well, but days like today show what’s possible.”
For veteran golfer Chris Kirk, age 40, who secured his sixth win at Kapalua at the season-opening event last year, the second round began with a burst of three consecutive birdies, culminating in a total of nine birdies against two bogeys.
Putnam, despite facing less manageable conditions in the afternoon with strong gusts and heat, also showed resilience. Opening with three birdies alongside a bogey on the front nine and adding another birdie afterwards, he positioned himself to potentially win his second PGA Tour title, marking his first since 2018. “It got pretty windy, and there were some tough holes, so I’m really pleased to grind through,” Putnam said.