Knapp leads by 4 after firing 59 in Round 1 at Cognizant Classic

Jake Knapp took a four-shot advantage into the second day of the Cognizant Classic after finishing Round 1 with a sub-60 score.

Knapp recorded a 59 to become the 14th player in PGA TOUR history to hit golf's magic number. He also established a new course record.

The 30-year-old has a four-stroke lead over Daniel Berger, Russell Henley, and Sami Valimaki entering Friday.

"It's just one of those days where everything was kind of clicking," Knapp said, according to The Associated Press' Tim Reynolds.

He added: "Whether I shot 89 or 59, I’m going to come back out and do my job tomorrow."

Knapp fired 12 birdies - including five straight to start the day - and no bogeys. He had a chance to hit an 18-foot putt for an eagle on the last hole, but he missed it and settled for a birdie. If he sank the initial shot, he'd have joined Jim Furyk as the second TOUR player ever to shoot a 58.

Furyk also shot a 59 in his career, giving Knapp the 15th sub-60 round in PGA TOUR history.

Cameron Young and Hayden Springer both recorded 59s in 2024 within 12 days. The former scored his at the Travelers Championship hosted by TPC River Highlands, while the latter pulled it off during the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run.

On the LIV circuit, Bryson DeChambeau fired a 58 in 2023, and Joaquin Niemann shot a 59 last year.