PGA Tour rookie Jake Knapp shares shifting routine after particular spherical

Jake Knapp had a fantastic Saturday on the Mexico Open at Vidanta, as the previous UCLA Bruin waltzed across the golf course with little hassle.

He shot an 8-under 63 in the future after he signed for 64, and now sits at 19-under via 54 holes. The rookie now leads by 4 pictures heading into Sunday’s last spherical as he eyes his first PGA Tour title.

But it doesn’t matter what he shoots, the place he performs, or who he performs with on the PGA Tour, Knapp has established a particular ritual that he does after each spherical.

He texts his late grandfather.

“He’s super special to me and my entire family, so I know he’s with me out there, and he’s watching,” Knapp mentioned afterward, combating again tears.

Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images

“[I text him] that I miss him, miss talking to him, wish he could see it. It was always my dream and his dream as well for me to get out here.”

Knapp’s grandfather, whose initials are tattooed on his left bicep, handed away in the beginning of final yr.

He and his cousin acquired matching tattoos a number of months later to honor their grandfather, whom Knapp spoke with after each spherical he performed.

“My family and I talk a lot about it,” Knapp added.

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

Undoubtedly, his grandfather watched over his grandson with a giant smile on Saturday, as Knapp set the 9-hole scoring file on the opening aspect.

He made birdies on each gap besides the 2nd and the eighth, each par-4s, to exit with a 7-under 28.

It will need to have been ‘Knapptime,’ which is the moniker he makes use of on his social media handles.

“I can’t complain, obviously. I feel like I struck the ball about the same as the last couple of days,” Knapp mentioned of his sizzling begin.

Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images

“Just hitting it really well, driving it well. I was able to roll in some more putts. Felt like once I was able to see a couple go in early, it just felt like kind of everything was going in for a little while there.”

Knapp leads the sector in total strokes gained, driving distance, and greens in regulation. He blisters it off the tee, averaging 328.4 yards this week.

But Knapp, who completed twelfth on the Korn Ferry Tour final season, has realized that discovering fairways is extra essential than bombing tee balls.

“I‘ve realized over the past few years and especially this year that fairways are a premium, so I tend to hit a lot of that spinny-cut shot to get it in play,” Knapp mentioned.

“Especially when I’m hitting the ball well, I know if I can just get it in play off the tee, I can give myself a lot of chances from there.”

He gave himself greater than his fair proportion of probabilities on Saturday, which certainly delighted his grandfather in heaven.

Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be certain to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You can observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.