Jake Knapp Suffered a Mental Health Crisis After His $1.5M Maiden PGA Tour Win; Here’s Why

Jake Knapp is on the path to becoming a two-time PGA Tour winner. After two rounds at the TPC Craig Ranch, the 29-year-old has taken a solo lead at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. It is his first 36-hole lead after his maiden and much-celebrated $1.5 million victory at the Mexico Open at Vidanta. All the golfers can vouch for golf being a mentally difficult sport, as much as it is physically hard. Maintaining good form and regaining it once lost is sure to be an uphill task that can mentally exhaust a golfer. In such situations, taking a break is a good thing, and the Tour rookie had gone through something similar.

After shooting only one bogey at Dogleg No. 3 in his two rounds, Jake Knapp shot 7 under par in both rounds at TPC Craig Ranch. He surpassed everyone in the field, even hometown favorite Jordan Spieth, who missed the cut yet again. Such a powerful performance could be attributed to his week off before the event.

At the post-round interview, Knapp was asked how things stumbled down from his T3 at the Farmers Insurance Open, a T28 at the People’s Open, and the maiden win in Mexico, and what changed. Replying to it, Knapp revealed how fatigued he had been in recent days, which eventually affected his mental health. He said, “I think I just got a little tired. I think mentally, it was just a lot going on, and I wouldn’t say necessarily life-changing; just everything got busier and days got longer.” 

After a win at Vidanta, Knapp expressed that he felt bummed that he didn’t have the same energy as he previously had. So, to cure his bad form, Knapp decided to take a week off to miss the Zurich Classic and get a quick reset at home. The short break immensely helped the 29-year-old, as he explained in that week off, “Work [sic] on some things I’ve been struggling with, and feel like it’s working out this week so far.” 

So far, Knapp is on the path to winning his second big win before the PGA Championship commences. If he emerges triumphant at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, it could create momentum and help him play better at Valhalla. He has been in the winner’s circuit and it was an arduous journey, but Knapp always knew that it was his calling!

Jake Knapp talks about his love for golf

It is now a very well-known fact about Jake Knapp that he was a bouncer at a club two years before his breakthrough on the PGA Tour. But that was his side work, and Knapp used to play at the PGA Tour Canada to make a stride for the PGA Tour. Recounting his journey to the PGA Tour, Knapp reminisced about how far he had come. Sharing what it feels like now, Knapp said, “Even when I was doing any of that stuff, I always knew this [golf] was what I wanted to do and felt like it’s where I should be.”

So, with his persistence and things falling just in the right place, he fortunately made it! Now Knapp has only one thing in mind: to keep working the way he has for a far better future!