DETROIT (AP) — Jake Knapp shot an 11-under 61 to break a Rocket Classic record that stood for less than a day, becoming the first PGA Tour player to break 60 and shoot a 61 or lower in the same season.
Knapp started the second round 130th in the 156-player field after opening with a 72. He surged into contention Friday with nine birdies and an eagle in a bogey-free round.
“I was just probably upset all night and this morning, so I think that maybe helped a little bit,” he said.
Knapp, ranked No. 99 in the world, is the only player on the tour to shoot 61 or better in two rounds this season.
He shot a 59 — one off the tour scoring record of 58 set by Jim Furyk in 2016 — at the Cognizant Classic four months ago, when he broke the tournament scoring record before cooling off and finishing tied for sixth.
Knapp broke the 18-hole record at Detroit Golf Club that was set Thursday in the first round when Aldrich Potgieter and Kevin Roy both shot a 62.
“I feel like when I start making birdies, I want to make more,” Knapp said. “I was even kind of thinking about 59 when I stuck it close on my third to last hole.”
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