Jake Knapp Dedicates His 54 Hole Lead At Mexico Open To His Grandfather

PGA Tour rookie, Jake Knapp has secured the penultimate position on the leaderboard with a 19-under-194 score and dedicated his four-stroke lead at the Mexico Open after 54 holes to his late grandfather. The tour rookie is a pretty tough person who served as a security guard at Costa Mesa Club, but after seizing the lead with 63 in the third round he got a bit emotional. 

But why be emotional on such a happy occasion? The golfer explained in the post-round conservation how his grandfather supported him in his golf career and that man missed his astounding feat on Saturday. Let’s see what he said in the interview!

Jake Knapp talks about his support system in golf

The 29-year-old got emotional and broke down in tears when asked about the tattooed initials on his left arm. He revealed that the letters read ‘GSFB’ and were dedicated to his grandfather, Gordon Bowles, who passed away last year. 

“I got a matching one with my cousin. I know that that’s like an area I wanted to save just because I know it’s seen in like every single golf photo. I wanted to make sure it’s seen every time when I finish.”

Jake Knapp explained how he never got asked about his grandfather and thus, it made him even more emotional. Then he gave further insights about the intimacy of the bond he shared with his grandfather. He stated that he shared about his golf rounds whenever they had a family dinner. 

Quite naturally, if his grandfather were alive, they would have discussed his Saturday round. Added to that, he continued talking about how his struggles after turning pro in 2016 have finally become fruitful as he played golf for a living now. 

 

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“I think standing there at one in the morning every Friday and Saturday night, you know realize how good you have it when you get to travel and play golf for a living.”

Jake Knapp also expressed his gratitude to his grandparents who supported him throughout.

“Just very thankful to have a grandparent that was so close and so involved in my professional life and just our lives in general.”

Although the American athlete cannot talk to his grandfather anymore, he still texts him after every round, and this reflects his attachment to him. As Jake Knapp proceeds to the final round, it is to see if he can clinch his first PGA Tour title for his grandfather. 

About the author

Suchita Chakraborty

Suchita Chakraborty is a senior golf writer at The SportsRush. She did her post-graduation at St. Xavier's University. For a year now, she has developed a riveting inclination toward golf, with Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy being her top-tier motivational figures to indulge in the sport. She even lives by the words of the Hall of Famer, "You can always become better", which impels her to excel every day. Her strong suit in golf is covering the LPGA Tour, especially the nooks and crannies of the international event, the Solheim Cup. As a pastime amusement, Suchita also engages herself in reading about golf controversies. Her favorite pick is ‘LIV and Let Die’ by Alan Shipnuck, which covers the PGA-LIV beef.

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