Jake Knapp: A Non-Tiger Story That Professional Golf Needs, But Haters Be Warned, Tiger Is Still Golf’s #1 Needle Mover…

Crybaby keyboard warrior professional golf haters, take notice; the following is a story not about Tiger Woods. Then, again, maybe not…

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Jake Knapp, the newest champion on the PGA TOUR, after his victory at the Mexico Open at Vedanta yesterday.

You know what’s humorous to me? When social trolls slam stories about Tiger or his cub Charlie, crying for new names to be written about, only to talk trash about “weak” PGA TOUR fields and new, formerly unknown stars.

So, which is it? Tiger or Jake? Or do you simply like to be an asshole?

The truth of the matter is this: real golf fans know we need both of these guys in professional golf. They also know that there is no such thing as a “weak field” on the PGA TOUR. Each and every one of those guys teeing it up is among the top 1% of golfers on this planet, and haters be warned, they could clean your clock while blindfolded and with one hand tied behind their back.

As someone who has made their living in the golf industry for almost three decades, it really irks me when trash like Tiger bashing or “Who the hell is this kid that won?” nonsense is loosely thrown around by people who clearly don’t get it.

Look, you don’t have to like Tiger at all, but you should respect what he has done for the game. And for guys like Jake Knapp, who have scratched and clawed their way to moments like yesterday, you must admire their drive and tenacity.

Why Tiger Woods Will Always Be Relevant 

Tiger took the PGA TOUR on his back for decades and made it what it is today. Not only that, but he brought countless new players into the game, both on the recreational side, and professional. I mean, shit, almost every single guy who hosts a trophy on the PGA TOUR each week, no matter if it’s a Spieth, McIlroy, or Scheffler, or even guys like Knapp, Kirk, Murray, and Pavon, say Eldrick inspired them. Hell, even your LIV defectors credit Woods for getting them into the game. So, yeah, the game’s ultimate needle mover, and I know that moniker triggers some, will always and forever be Tiger Woods…so deal with it.

Why Jake Knapp and PGA TOUR Professionals Like Him Are Relevant

Now, back to Jake Knapp, this past week’s champion. Guys like him are 1000% needed in golf. They are the future of the game in the professional ranks. And I tell ya, if you give them half a chance, they have some serious game and pretty cool backstories to boot.

Let’s look at Knapp for a second. The 29-year-old was born and raised in Costa Mesa, CA, where he still resides. He played his college golf at UCLA and made his way to the PGA TOUR by finishing inside the Top 30 on the Korn Ferry Tour last year.

The Rubix Cube junkie and prolific gamer said that if he wasn’t playing golf for a living, he’d be working in fitness in some capacity…something tells me that his plan B will no longer be necessary. And get this: the guy spent roughly nine months working as a security guard at a nightclub from the fall of 2021 and on through to the spring of 2022.

Kudos to you, Jake Knapp, for grinding on and making yesterday’s win a reality.

Oh, and for you Tiger haters, peep this…

Do you want to know what sparked Jake’s love for golf? It was watching Tiger Woods dominate Stephen Ames, 9 and 8, at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in 2006. But what made that moment truly special for Knapp was when Steve Williams, Woods’ caddie back then, tossed him one of the balls TW used in that match. That ball still sits prominently displayed on Knapp’s desk to this day, a testament to the power of a single moment that inspired a lifelong passion.

So, golf enthusiasts and Tiger Woods haters alike understand this! It’s time to face the facts: TW will forever be relevant and deserving of recognition, just like each and every new PGA TOUR “no-name” champion who picked up a club thanks to him is. Don’t let your personal bias cloud your judgment – Tiger’s impact on the sport is undeniable. Just ask the 2024 Mexico Open Champ, Jake Knapp…

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