Jack Nicklaus never broke 60 in a competitive round. He explains why
Tim Schmitt- Golfer Jake Knapp recently shot a course record of 59 at the PGA Tour's 2025 Cognizant Classic.
- Knapp previously won the 2024 Mexico Open and sought out advice from golf legend Jack Nicklaus.
- Nicklaus, despite his legendary career, never shot below 62 in a PGA Tour event.
- Knapp's rise has been remarkable, having worked as a bouncer to support his golfing aspirations.
After winning the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld in 2024, Jake Knapp sought out advice from one of the game's all-time greats in Jack Nicklaus.
Knapp, a late bloomer who turned pro in 2016 but lost Korn Ferry Tour status in 2021 and was mired outside the top thousand in the world as recently as May of 2022 (No. 1476), worked a stint at a bar-restaurant as a bouncer at night so he could focus on his game during the day. He said he never panicked that he was progressing through the ranks more slowly than Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele and Beau Hossler, Tour pros whom he competed as a junior.
But after the victory and before he was about to play in his first Masters, Knapp was keen to get a word from Nicklaus about the experience.
During the third round of play at the PGA Tour's 2025 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, Nicklaus briefly recalled the encounter while in the booth with Dan Hicks.
"We met," Nicklaus said. "I tried to help him. He's a nice young man, great player, and he's got a bright future in front of him.
"Of course, shooting 59 here to start this week is pretty special, and he's hanging around in pretty much the same as he was when he started today."
Knapp's low round has certainly been the highlight of the event thus far. The 30-year-old shot 12-under 59 during the first round, setting a course record at the Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and becoming the 14th player to break 60 on the PGA Tour. The last to do so was Hayden Springer at the 2024 John Deere Classic.
That led to Hicks bringing up the fact that the Golden Bear never broke 60 in tournament play.
"I can't believe you never shot 59, Jack," Hicks said.
"Never shot 60 or 61, either," Nicklaus responded.
"That's even crazier," Hicks added.
In fact, while the Columbus, Ohio, native once shot 59 at a charity event at The Breakers in Palm Beach in 1973, his best round on the PGA Tour was 62, a frequent career low by all-time greats. Also bottoming out with 62s were Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Billy Casper, Raymond Floyd, Hale Irwin, Nick Price, Greg Norman, Lanny Wadkins, Curtis Strange, Tom Kite and Fred Couples.
"Guys hit it further," Nicklaus explained. "And the conditions are good. You get a benign day, and guys can shoot a good score.
"That's okay. I like that. If a golf course won't yield to good golf then I don't think it's a very good golf course."