Jake Knapp is a rising star in the golfing world. After registering a win at last year’s Mexico Open and claiming four top-10 finishes in the 2024 season, Knapp has proven he is a golfer to watch. You need to pay attention because, as of today, Knapp’s best performance this season was at the Genesis Invitational (T17). However, in the latest news, Knapp has secured 1st place after the first round of this year’s Cognizant Classic with a score of 59.

So what makes Knapp such a compelling golfer? Well, besides his skills on the course, it’s the support he receives from the people around him. Although his family nurtured Knapp’s love for the sport, his coach and caddie also played a crucial role in his rise as a promising name in the sport. Let’s take a look at everyone who makes Jake Knapp strong.

Jake Knapp turns to his caddie and coach for support on the greens

When Jake Knapp registered a win at last year’s Mexico Open, he won the attention of all golf fans. It was also a special win because Knapp established a record as the first player to win with two or fewer fairways since 1983. Recalling the tour, we cannot help but look at one of the moments Knapp shared with his caddie, Mike Stephens, on the course. Facing the 18th green, Knapp asked his caddie how many putts he could take and still win. His caddie replied, “Just go hit your first putt. You’re going to be fine.” And he was fine, taking home a whopping prize of $1,458,000.

Of course, Knapp’s win at the Mexico Open wasn’t just his. Talking about the game, Stephens said, “I was terrified. Missing fairways. I could feel the tension. Fortunately, we were well ahead of third place, and we knew it was going to be first or second at worst. We really wanted the win, though.” But the victory was sweet. Just like Knapp, Stephens made some plans for the extra bonus as well. “I’m going to be smart with it. I want to eventually buy a house,” Stephens said. “I may buy a better PC for gaming and upgrade my car. I’d like a cool car, but not an expensive one. Nothing frivolous.” The caddie-golfer duo reaped the seeds of hard work they had been doing over the years.

But Knapp relies on others besides his caddie to get an edge in his game, and that’s when he turns to his coach, John Ortega. Interestingly, Ortega has coached Knapp and his brother, Ryan, since they were eight years old. Not only that, but Ortega has also played a key role in building Knapp’s confidence in his popular swinging skills. Knapp has also shared that Ortega always complimented his swing skills.

“He’s always said, your swing is going to get naturally shorter as you get older, so he was like, why shorten it now? Every time I would say I wanted to change something about my swing, he would show me five guys in the Hall of Fame who have done that exact thing and had a lot of success.” Undoubtedly, Jake Knapp’s swings are well known. It’s even admired by Charlie Woods.

But besides the professional relationships, who else does the golfer have in his support system? Here’s a look at them.

Love goes both ways in Jake Knapp’s family

Looking back at his early years, Jake Knapp recalls that his earliest golf memories involve taking group lessons with his brother from John Ortega and running around his grandparents’ golf cart in Palm Springs, “just hitting balls wherever I could.” Sounds sweet? Well, there’s something that will sound even sweeter. Knapp dedicating his first PGA Tour win to his late grandfather makes the situation even more special. If you missed it, allow us to give you a glimpse of it.

A champion of youth sports, Gordon Bowley, passed away in 2023 at the age of 85. The golfer dedicated his win as a beautiful tribute to Bowley with a simple but heartfelt, “Thank you, papa.” In addition to dedicating his first win to his grandfather, Knapp also got a tattoo of his grandfather’s initials on his left arm that same year. His family is tight-knit and lives in Arizona with Knapp and Ryan, always ready to offer support.

For instance, take a look back at Knapp’s massive win at the Mexico Open, and you will understand how they share emotions on the same scale. Recalling the moment, Knapp said his final round of 71, with only two fairways hit out of 14, caused some anxiety for his family. “My brother called me after the round and said that after my tee shot on three, he went outside his house and had a panic attack.” What better way to prove that their hearts are in sync? However, later in the round, his family relaxed after Knapp secured his first PGA Tour win. Wait, hold on! There’s more.

Knapp’s family is busy, in the truest sense of the word. His father and brother work in the real estate industry. His mother, on the other hand, works as a wedding and event planner. Despite being busy, his family is always present during his games. Fortunately, the support goes both ways. And surely that’s how the Knapp family knows they can count on each other. What about his love life, you ask? We don’t know much.

Some reports claim that he has girlfriend named McKenna. Interestingly, she was also present during his games last year at the Mexico Open. He was also seen waving at her in the crowd.

What do you think of Knapp and his 2025 season? Let us know!