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Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Philip Knowles soars with eagles to share Rocket Classic lead
Andrew Putnam of the United States plays his shot from the 12th tee during the second round of the Rocket Classic. PHOTO: AFP WASHINGTON – Philip Knowles said he was lucky with his three eagles, as he grabbed a share of the lead with Chris Kirk and Andrew Putnam after the second round of the PGA Tour's Rocket Classic on June 27. Knowles, ranked 519th in the world, fired an eight-under 64 to match Kirk and Putnam on 14-under 130 for 36 holes at Detroit Golf Club. 'I got pretty lucky a couple times,' he said. 'I hit quality shots that ended up going in the hole, but I can't imagine chipping in three times for eagle ever again in my life.' Back-nine starter Knowles, on a medical exemption after thumb and eye injuries the past two years, seeks his first PGA title after making the cut only twice in 11 prior starts this season. 'It has not been my best year thus far by any stretch of the imagination, but golf is funny,' he added. 'When you're playing bad, you never feel like you're going to play good again, and when you have days like today, you just don't understand how you could ever shoot a bad round of golf. 'So it was super rewarding.' Knowles made his first eagle at the par-five 17th, when he rolled in an 81-foot chip from the fringe. At the par-five fourth, he chipped in from the fairway from 37 yards and, three holes later on another par-five, he chipped in from the left rough from 40 yards. 'That was surreal,' he said. Putnam, who shot 66, birdied three of the first four holes then eagled the par-five seventh on an 88-foot chip-in from the fairway and got up and down from a bunker at 14 in his bogey-free round. 'It didn't feel like bogey free,' he said. 'It felt like I was kind of all over the place on the back nine, but the front nine was pretty simple golf. Wind came up, got a couple tricky holes out there, so glad I could grind it out.' Kirk fired a 65, opening with three consecutive birdies and closing with back-to-back birdies. 'Dream start for sure,' he said. 'Back nine was a little bit more hit and miss... But I was in a really good rhythm. Proud of the way I hung in there and kept hitting good shots.' Jackson Suber was fourth on 131 with Mark Hubbard, Michael Thorbjornsen and Aldrich Potgieter on 132. Jake Knapp fired a course-record 61 to stand on 133, breaking the mark of 62 set a day earlier by Kevin Roy and Potgieter. It was the second course record of the season by Knapp, who fired a 59 at PGA National in the Cognizant Classic. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
France 24
4 hours ago
- Sport
- France 24
Knowles soars with eagles to share PGA Detroit lead
Knowles, ranked 519th in the world, fired an eight-under par 64 to match Kirk and Putnam on 14-under 130 for 36 holes at Detroit Golf Club. "I got pretty lucky a couple times," Knowles said. "I hit quality shots that ended up going in the hole, but I can't imagine chipping in three times for eagle ever again in my life." Back-nine starter Knowles, on a medical exemption after thumb and eye injuries the past two years, seeks his first PGA title after making the cut only twice in 11 prior starts this season. "It has not been my best year thus far by any stretch of the imagination, but golf is funny," Knowles said. "When you're playing bad, you never feel like you're going to play good again, and when you have days like today, you just don't understand how you could ever shoot a bad round of golf. "So it was super rewarding." Knowles made his first eagle came at the par-five 17th, when he rolled in an 81-foot chip from the fringe. At the par-five fourth, Knowles chipped in from the fairway from 37 yards and, three holes later on another par-five, he chipped in from the left rough from 40 holes. "That was surreal," he said. Putnam, who shot 66, birdied three of the first four holes then eagled the par-five seventh on an 88-foot chip-in from the fairway and got up and down from a bunker at 14 in his bogey-free round. "It didn't feel like bogey free," Putnam said. "It felt like I was kind of all over the place on the back nine, but the front nine was pretty simple golf. Wind came up, got a couple tricky holes out there, so glad I could grind it out." Kirk fired a 65, opening with three consecutive birdies and closing with back-to-back birdies. He seeks a seventh career PGA title and his first since last year's tournament of champions in Hawaii. "Dream start for sure," Kirk said. "Then was able to add a few more. Back nine was a little bit more hit and miss... But I was in a really good rhythm. Proud of the way I hung in there and kept hitting good shots." American Jackson Suber was fourth on 131 with countrymen Mark Hubbard and Michael Thorbjornsen and South African Aldrich Potgieter on 132. Jake Knapp fired a course-record 61 to stand on 133, his bogey-free round with nine birdies and an eagle breaking the mark of 62 set Thursday by fellow American Kevin Roy and Potgieter. It was the second course record of the season by Knapp, who fired a 59 at PGA National in the Cognizant Classic.
Fox Sports
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Knapp makes PGA Tour history at Rocket Classic, trails 2nd-round leaders Kirk, Knowles and Putnam
Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — Jake Knapp has pulled off a feat no one else has in PGA Tour history. Knapp shot an 11-under 61 on Friday to break a Rocket Classic record that stood for less than a day and became the first on the tour to break 60 and shoot a 61 or lower in the same season. That still wasn't enough to put him in the top six, entering the weekend at Detroit Golf Club. Chris Kirk (65), Philip Knowles (64) and Andrew Putnam (66) share the second-round lead at 14 under. Jackson Suber (65) was another shot back. Aldrich Potgieter, who had a 70 after sharing the 18-hole lead with Kevin Roy after both shot a record-setting 62, and Mark Hubbard were another stroke behind the leader. Knapp was in a large pack of players, including with Collin Morikawa (64), Hideki Matsuyama (66) and Roy (71), three shots off the lead going into the third round. The 31-year-old Knapp, who won the Mexico Open last year as a rookie, started the second round 130th in the 156-player field after opening with a 72. He surged into contention with nine birdies and an eagle in a bogey-free round. 'I was just probably upset all night and this morning, so I think that maybe helped a little bit,' he said. Knapp, ranked No. 99 in the world, is the only player on the tour to shoot 61 or better in two rounds this season. He shot a 59 — one off the tour scoring record of 58 set by Jim Furyk in 2016 — at the Cognizant Classic four months ago, when he broke the tournament scoring record before cooling off and tying for sixth. Knapp broke the 18-hole record at Detroit Golf Club that was set Thursday in the first round when Potgieter and Roy both shot a 62. 'I feel like when I start making birdies, I want to make more,' Knapp said. 'I was even kind of thinking about 59 when I stuck it close on my third to last hole.' The 28-year-old Knowles, shooting for his first PGA Tour win, made the cut for just the third time in 11 events after failing to make it to the weekend at five straight tournaments. 'It's not been my best year thus far by any stretch of the imagination, but golf is funny,' he said. 'When you're playing bad, you never feel like you're going to play good again. And when you have days like today, you just don't understand how you could ever shoot a bad round of golf.' The 40-year-old Kirk, whose sixth win was the season-opening tournament last year at Kapalua, opened the second round with three straight birdies and finished with nine birdies and two bogeys. Most of the leaders were in morning groups, when conditions were more favorable, and Putnam was an exception. Putnam played in the afternoon when the wind was stiff and swirling on a hot and steamy day. He started strong with three birdies and a bogey on the front nine before getting only one birdie on the back, putting him in a position to possibly win his second PGA Tour event and first since 2018. 'The wind came up, got a couple tricky holes out there, so glad I could grind it out,' Putnam said. ___ AP golf:
Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Jake Knapp sets course record with 61 at Rocket Classic in Detroit
Jake Knapp playing his shot from the ninth tee, during the second round of the Rocket Classic on June 27. PHOTO: IMAGN IMAGES VIA REUTERS CONNECT DETROIT, Michigan - Jake Knapp's latest record day resulted in a course record at the Rocket Classic on June 27. Knapp went 7-under par over an eight hole stretch to propel him to a course record 11-under 61 at the Detroit Golf Club. Knapp, who began the day tied for 120th at the Rocket Classic, poured in an eagle and nine birdies on a bogey-free card that vaulted him from the cutline into contention. Knapp, 31, has established a reputation for being an extremely streaky player. In February, he recorded the 15th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history in the first round of the Cognizant Classic. He eventually tied for sixth after stumbling to a final round 72. Knapp fired an opening-round 63 in his most recent start at the RBC Canadian Open. He again posted a final round 72 to settle for a T27. Ranked 98th in the world, Knapp has one career victory on tour. That came at the 2024 Mexico Open, where he also posted a 63 in the first round and held on for a two-shot victory with a 71 on Sunday. 'I'm definitely not afraid of shooting a low number,' Knapp said. 'I feel like when I start making birdies, I want to make more. I was even kind of thinking about 59 when I stuck it close on my third to last for eagle and figured I could maybe eagle that and birdie the last two. 'I think when you're playing well just try to stay out of my own way and just kind of keep doing what I'm doing and making more birdies.' The June 27 course record came just a day after Knapp struggled to an even par 72 on a course that yielded a pair of 10-under 62s on the day. During the opening round, he managed just a lone birdie against one bogey. That changed quickly on June 27 as Knapp took advantage of a hot putter. Following three consecutive pars to open his round on the back nine, Knapp poured in three birdies over a four-hole stretch. He reached the par-5 17th hole in two and then drained a 34-foot eagle putt. After making his turn in 5-under 31, Knapp birdied six of his first eight holes on his inward nine to reach 11 under for the round and complete an 11-shot improvement from June 26. 'I was just kind of bummed last night because I felt like in the practice rounds and everything felt like I was hitting it pretty nice, and I know this course sets up well for me,' he said. 'So to shoot even par the first day just feels like you're shooting yourself in the foot, but feels nice to bounce back with 61. 'I just tried to play a little bit more aggressive, and for the most part we just went in with the mindset today that every pin was a green light so just tried to hit it at everything.' FIELD LEVEL MEDIA Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
NBC Sports
7 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Rocket Classic scoring record broken again in second round at Detroit Golf Club
Todd Lewis and Jim Gallagher Jr. break down Jake Knapp's Round 2 showing during the Rocket Classic, where the 31-year-old American shot a course record 61 at Detroit Golf Club. DETROIT — Jake Knapp shot an 11-under 61 to break a Rocket Classic record that stood for less than a day, becoming the first PGA Tour player to break 60 and shoot a 61 or lower in the same season. Knapp started the second round 130th in the 156-player field after opening with a 72. He surged into contention Friday with nine birdies and an eagle in a bogey-free round. 'I was just probably upset all night and this morning, so I think that maybe helped a little bit,' he said. Knapp, ranked No. 99 in the world, is the only player on the Tour to shoot 61 or better in two rounds this season. He shot a 59 — one off the Tour scoring record of 58 set by Jim Furyk in 2016 — at the Cognizant Classic four months ago, when he broke the tournament scoring record before cooling off and finishing tied for sixth. Knapp broke the 18-hole record at Detroit Golf Club that was set Thursday in the first round when Aldrich Potgieter and Kevin Roy both shot a 62. 'I feel like when I start making birdies, I want to make more,' Knapp said. 'I was even kind of thinking about 59 when I stuck it close on my third to last hole.'
