Jake Knapp is someone who encapsulates everything that being a star on the PGA Tour in the modern era means.
Knapp possesses enormous length off the tee and finished the 2025 PGA Tour season with an average ball-speed of 184 mph.
The 31-year-old from Costa Mesa, California, has all the makings of a superstar of the future on the PGA Tour, and now is the time for him to start delivering.
Knapp broke a PGA Tour record this season by becoming the first man to ever shoot a sub-60 round and a round of 61 or lower in the same season.
So he clearly has the talent required to start winning more regularly.
Knapp received huge praise for his round of 59 at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches in March.
However, perhaps more consistency will be the key for him moving forward, if he wants to make an ascent up the world rankings.
Jake Knapp says if he’d rather win a major or play on the 2027 US Ryder Cup team
The 31-year-old has all of the skills needed to win the very biggest tournaments in the game.
Of course, he needs to sharpen up on his iron play, but all other departments of his game are in fine working order.
He definitely could challenge in the major championships next season.
So with that in mind, it was very interesting indeed to hear his response to one question in particular during his appearance on GOLF’s Subpar Podcast.
Knapp responded when asked whether he’d like to win a major or play on the US Ryder Cup team in 2027.
Knapp said: “I would win a major. I was going to say that if you win a major, you are probably going to be on the Ryder Cup!
“But I would rather win a major. You can be a Ryder Cup pick that nobody likes and then you lose every single match and that is not what I want.
“I want to be on a Presidents Cup, Ryder Cup but I want to earn that spot.
“If I am a captain’s pick that is fine, but I don’t want to be the last guy on the roster that is picked just because people like him.“
Jake Knapp’s results in major championships
As good as Knapp has been on the PGA Tour at times, his performances in the majors have been nowhere near good enough.
Incredibly, the 31-year-old has made just one major cut in his entire career – a T-55 at The Masters back in 2024.
He played the PGA Championship in 2024 and 2025, missing the cut in both, and suffered the same outcome at the US Open in 2024.
Knapp’s solo win at the PGA Tour came at the Mexico Open in 2024, but he has struggled to get over the line since.
That said, his stats were pretty solid this season. He was ranked 44th in strokes gained off the tee, 13th in strokes gained putting and 37th in strokes gained total.
There is a disconnect somewhere, most likely his below-average iron play, where he ranked 97th in strokes gained approach.
Knapp will be fully aware that he needs to improve that part of his game if he is ever to contend at a major championship, let alone win one.
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