Jake Knapp caught fire at Detroit Golf Club, unleashing an 11-under 61 and setting a new course record. The previous low of 62 had just been matched on Thursday by Aldrich Potgieter and Kevin Roy in the opening round.
“Just did everything a little bit better today. Putting was tough yesterday, I didn’t make anything– in the afternoon, a little bit bumpier green, just sometimes how it goes, but was able to definitely hit a little bit closer today and I drove a lot better, which was nice,” Knapp said.
Riding Momentum from a 59
This remarkable round at Detroit isn’t an isolated feat. Knapp, 31, first made headlines in February by shooting a bogey-free 59 at the Cognizant Classic, becoming just the 15th player in PGA Tour history to post a round under 60.
That day featured 12 birdies and was his second career PGA Tour victory after winning the 2024 Mexico Open. The form he showed then appears to have carried into this week in Detroit.
He now leads a crowded leaderboard featuring Potgieter and Roy, each at 10 under, along with other notable contenders, including Aldrich Potgieter, Chris Kirk, Collin Morikawa, and Wyndham Clark within striking distance.
Thursday Fireworks Before Knapp’s Breakthrough
The foundation for Jake Knapp’s dramatic course-record round was laid on Thursday, when the tournament field–and Detroit Golf Club itself–broke new ground. Potgieter and Roy both fired brilliant bogey-free rounds of 10-under 62 to set a new 18-hole scoring record at the Rocket Classic.
Earlier in the morning, Australian Min Woo Lee had matched the old course low of 63, but Potgieter and Roy went one better, establishing a clear lead over the field.
Potgieter’s round was especially electric: he carded a scorching 7-under 29 on the back nine, with five birdies and an eagle, nearly surpassing his own record before settling for 62. His young career had already been noteworthy.
He became the youngest-ever winner on the Korn Ferry Tour earlier this year, and Thursday’s performance reinforced his status as one to watch. Roy, meanwhile, closed his round with flair, chipping in for eagle on No. 17 and following it with a birdie on No. 18 to complete his matching 62.
An Overview of the Detroit Golf Club
Downtown Detroit’s Rocket Classic unfolds each June on the storied North Course at Detroit Golf Club, a Donald Ross gem established in 1899 that became a PGA Tour fixture in 2019. Spanning approximately 7,370 yards and playing as a par 72, the layout is a classic parkland design–tree-lined and relatively flat, but strategically bunkered with fast, rolling greens that Ross is renowned for.
Accuracy off the tee is essential: several holes feature fairway bunkers that demand precise drives to avoid trouble. For instance, the opening 397-yard par-4 requires placement between three strategically planted bunkers to leave a clear wedge into a subtly undulating green.
Longer par-5s, such as the 555-yard second hole, present risk-reward options for big hitters wanting to reach in two, but come with cross-bunkers and tight approaches for those laying up.
The mid-round stretch is where Ross architecture shines. Take the 11th hole–a par-3 that can play from 180 to 233 yards, often appearing deceptively simple from the tee despite its front-bowl design that punishes short misses.
Other holes, like the dogleg 10th and the bunker-framed 14th, require thoughtful positioning and course management rather than raw power.
Knapp’s Rocket Classic Odds
Before Friday’s fireworks, Knapp was essentially a long shot to contend. Pre-tournament betting lines listed him at +8000 to win the Rocket Classic. After his round two performance, Knapp sits at a +3000. His Official World Golf Ranking sat at No. 98, outside the upper echelon of consistent contenders.
After firing an 11-under 61 (his second sub-60/-61 round of the season), Knapp has vaulted into contention. He now sits tied for eighth, just three strokes behind the leaders at 14 under. His leap from fringe outsider to potential threat underscores just how quickly momentum in golf can shift, and how Thursday’s under-the-radar name could be Sunday’s champion.
“Anytime you shoot 11 under on the PGA TOUR, it’s always up there,” Knapp said. “The quality of golf was just really, really good.”
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