Jake Knapp changed both his driver and putter this week.
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Jake Knapp has etched his name into history with the 15th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history.
Knapp two-putted the 18th green for birdie and a 59 during the first round of the Cognizant Classic at PGA National‘s historically brawny Champion course. And he did so with two new clubs in the bag this week.
The long-hitting Knapp played Thursday with his third new driver in as many events. Knapp broke out a six-year-old TaylorMade M5 driver at the Genesis Invitational two weeks ago and then switched again to last year’s TaylorMade Qi10.
But this week, Knapp has stayed with a TaylorMade big stick, this time calling on a Qi35 and he obliterated it around PGA National, including a 335-yard poke on 18 that set up the final of his 12 birdies on the day.
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Knapp also made a change to the other end of the bag, swapping out a TaylorMade Spider with a new Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.2 Circle T mallet putter. Knapp said he didn’t think he was putting all that terribly (54th in putting coming into the week), but was more because he just wanted a feel change.
“Just felt like I needed to feel something a little different, whether it’s for — in my head sometimes it’s for a couple days or a couple weeks or whatever it might be,” Knapp said. “But it was more like strategic based on how I feel like my misses have been lately with the putter. I don’t think I’ve been putting terribly, just something feel-wise that I just felt like I needed to feel something different.
Knapp’s new Cameron features a plumber’s neck design which offers more toe hang than the Spider he was using, which had a double bend shaft.
“I’ve always stayed with the same head shape for the most part, and then I just change between that plumber’s neck and then a double bend, so a little bit of toe hang versus face balanced,” he said. “But yeah, just something that kind of felt right for me and worked on it the last couple days, and it worked pretty well today.”
Clearly both changes worked as Knapp gained more than 2 shots both off the tee and putting in round 1. His 2.2 strokes gained: off-the-tee was tops in the field after the morning wave.
Keep reading below for specs of Knapp’s full bag of PXG, TaylorMade and Titleist gear.
Jake Knapp’s bag at the Cognizant Classic
Driver: TaylorMade Qi35 (9@8.25, 1 click lower), Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7-X
TaylorMade Qi35 Custom Driver
$599.99
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Fujikura Ventus TR Black Wood Shaft
$350
NEW FOR 2022! Introducing a new profile to the lineup, VENTUS TR. Born from the continuous quest for improvement and backed by enso®–driven analytics and Tour feedback, VENTUS TR builds upon one of the most trusted and best-selling wood shafts in Fujikura history.
Jockey Tip: The TR Black is the stiffest VENTUS profile to date. Ultra-stiff tip and handle sections work in unison to support players with Tour-like speeds that prefer the feeling of minimal to no flex during the swing. As a shaft designed for players with a fast transition, spread tow fabric reinforces the mid/handle section even further, holding up to even the most aggressive moves to the golf ball.
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