2024 Texas Children's Houston Open: Top 10 power rankings at Memorial Park
2024HoustonOpen/PowerRank/7. 7. OWGR: 46th. FedEx Cup: 12th. Jake Knapp
Jake Knapp has had the most surprising season of anyone on the PGA Tour thus far. The mustachioed Californian went from relative obscurity entering 2024 to a top-50 player in the world.
The win at the Mexico Open at Vidanta had a lot to do with it. So does a T-3rd finish at the Farmers Insurance Open and T-4th at the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches.
Knapp has cooled down a little bit in recent weeks, but he still managed to make the cut at Signature Events like the Arnold Palmer Invitational (T-57th) and Players Championship (T-45th).
“I feel like I can play well on any style of golf course, and most guys out here, when your game is on, it's on, and I feel like I'm playing well,” Knapp was transcribed by ASAP Sports at the Cognizant. “It just feels good to come out here and validate that.”
Knapp is a PGA Tour rookie making his Texas Children’s Houston Open debut this week.
The UCLA alum ranks 23rd on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Total (.907). He still has some work to do with the driver as he needed an insane short game to get to the finish line in Mexico.
However, Knapp is solid elsewhere with ranks of 18th in SG: Approach (.57), 30th in SG: Putting (.432), and 42nd in SG: Off-the-Tee (.475).
What he lacks in accuracy off the tee he (at least partially) makes up for with length. The 29-year-old ranks ninth in club head speed (122.91 miles per hour) and 21st in driving distance (305.1 yards).