- Written by Ian Carter
- BBC golf correspondent
image source, Getty Images
Former nightclub bouncer Jake Knapp wins the Mexican Open by two strokes, earning his first PGA Tour victory in just his ninth start.
There hasn’t been much to lift the spirits in professional golf these days, and storylines created by the greedy tendencies of the LIV era have been dominant.
But amidst the rubble of a heavily spent and fractured sport, we can still unearth storylines that remind us of the special characteristics that make this sport such a compelling pursuit for so many fans. Masu.
Many celebrities were doing their best to provide healthy conversation, including a delivery driver who earned a life-changing check in Kenya and a former nightclub bouncer who secured his Masters debut in Mexico. was one week.
Add to this the welcome return of Britain’s Bronte Law to the winner’s circle and another win for Thailand’s potential superstar Patti Thavatanakit, and there’s quite a bit to celebrate.
For his share of second place at the Kenya Open, Joe Dean pocketed £170,000 on top of the regular wages he collects as a Morrisons supermarket delivery van driver.
The 29-year-old from Sheffield has secured the privilege of playing at Q School, but has so far been unable to afford the travel costs to take full advantage of it. That changed on Sunday in Nairobi when he finished tied for second behind Darius van Driel.
“I’ve never been an overconfident person, so it was a little daunting going into this week,” Dean said. “The second event I feel like I don’t really belong and I feel like I’m trying to prove something.
“Fortunately, I quickly got over that problem and figured out how to get around the golf course.”
The Bible verse aptly borrowed by the late Peter Allis when Larry Mize defeated Greg Norman at Augusta in 1987 comes to mind: “And the meek shall inherit the earth.”
It was similarly uplifting on the PGA Tour. Jake Knapp has also struggled, taking a job as a nightclub bouncer in his native California after dropping out of the Korn Ferry tour three years ago.
The muscular 29-year-old American took on these duties to pay the bills, but they also rewarded him with a fresh perspective.
“When I stand there every Friday and Saturday night at 1 a.m., I realize how amazing it is to be able to make a living from traveling and golfing,” Knapp said in his first Tour tour at the Mexican Open. He spoke at the time of his victory.
“It helped me grow a little thicker skin and get to where I am now.”
The tournament had only four players in the top 50 in the world and only 23 in the top 100 golfers in the world rankings.
But his victory still earned him an invitation to the Masters and entry into the tour’s vaunted $20 million signature event.
Knapp knows someone to thank for helping him reach such heights. His late grandfather Gordon Bowley was the one he always talked about his fledgling career. Knapp has his coach’s initials, “GSFB,” tattooed on his left bicep.
“He’s the guy I talked to after every round. I still text him after every round,” Knapp said through tears.
“He’s special to me and my entire family, so I know he’s with me and watching over me.”
While Knapp prepares to head to Augusta, the Masters legend is credited with helping get Law back to winning ways on the European Women’s Tour.
Ian Woosnam, who won the Green Jacket in 1991, helped the Stockport pros to their first win in two years with a stunning closing 64 in Morocco’s Lalla Meryem Cup.
Law used Woosnam’s trademark aggression to get him over the line. “This victory feels a little surreal,” she said.
“I went for an eagle on the 14th from the fairway and holed out, but at that moment I knew I had a chance if I kept going and got a birdie. That was the turning point.”
Low, a key member of the 2019 European Solheim Cup winning team, has not won since the Aramco Team Series in London in 2022 and has openly said he is lacking confidence on track.
“This win represents all the hard work I put in in the offseason,” she said. “I really struggled last year, but I’ve been working a lot with my mental coach and Ian Woosnam, who is obviously a legend in the game.
“This proves to me that if I work hard and believe in myself, I can still compete at the top of my game.”
Since his brilliant win at the 2021 ANA Inspiration, there is no doubting Tavatanakit’s abilities.
This major was the 24-year-old’s first LPGA title, and her aggressive success suggested she would soon become a dominant force in women’s competition.
But she had to wait until she won against a strong LET field in Saudi Arabia this month for her next success.
This was the first of back-to-back wins as she added another win in Thailand. Her victory on the LPGA Tour was achieved 1,057 days after her first title.
A charismatic presence who shows exhilarating and powerful plays. “I just stepped on the gas,” she said after finishing 21 under and overtaking Switzerland’s Albon Valenzuela by one stroke. She said: “I’m really proud of myself. I fought really hard.”
It’s this brand of golf that makes her a potentially important global figure for the women’s game. Her win was another reason to celebrate as she welcomed a weekend full of smiles to the game of golf.
