They say records were made to be broken, but the Rocket Classic course record lasted just one day.
For the third time in just two days, Detroit Golf Club has a new low score.
Jake Knapp of Costa Mesa, California, broke the course record set in Thursday’s first round by Kevin Roy and PGA Tour rookie Aldrich Potgieter. Knapp, who shot even-par 72 in Round 1, on Friday shot 11-under-par 61, one better than Potgieter and Roy.
Knapp, teeing from No. 10, had three birdies on the back nine and an eagle on No. 17, a popular hole for golfers to gain two strokes so far this week. He then recorded six birdies on the front nine and tapped in his par putt on the par-3 No. 9, his final hole, after chipping from the rough to inside a foot.
It was a remarkable comeback for a man who was upset by his performance the day before. Knapp was tied for No. 120 after Round 1, but is currently tied for sixth, three shots behind early afternoon clubhouse leaders Chris Kirk and Philip Knowles (14 under par).
“Yesterday, I felt like I was doing everything ok, not great,” Knapp said after his record round. “Just did everything a little bit better today. Putting was tough yesterday, I didn’t make anything — in the afternoon, a little bit bumpier green, just sometimes how it goes — but was able to definitely hit a little bit closer today and I drove a lot better, which was nice.”
Knapp, 31, attended UCLA and turned pro in 2016. He won the 2024 Mexico Open at Vidanta for his only PGA Tour win. However, he won both the 2019 GolfBC Championship and Canada Life Open as well as the 2022 CRMC Championship in PGA Tour Canada.
This is Knapp’s second time playing the Rocket Classic; he made the cut last year but finished the tournament tied for 31st at 9-under, nine strokes back of winner Cam Davis.
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