FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP

August 13, 2026

Jake Knapp

TPC Southwind

Quick Quotes

Q. Opening with three birdies and closed with three birdies. What did you like about your 65?

JAKE KNAPP: I like that part of it. Opening with three birdies is always nice, especially on a course like this. I feel like you can just kind of make bogey on every hole if you aren't careful.

Then I felt like I hit the ball really well all day. I didn't make many putts through the middle stretch of the round, but I was able to hit it close around the back stretch and make a few. Just feel like I played pretty solid from start to finish.

Q. Solid start to the season and good standing next week. What's it like to make a push for East Lake?

JAKE KNAPP: Yeah, it's good. It's the first time I'll get into that top 50 mark after the last two years just kind of being just on the other side of it. So it's nice to have that locked in.

Just a solid finish away or a couple solid weeks away from being top 30, which is always the main goal.

Q. Earlier in the season battling a little bit of injuries. How do you feel now during playoffs making a push to trend?

JAKE KNAPP: Yeah, I feel good. I feel like I've been able to get a little better week after week and knock a little more rust off. Putting hasn't been as sharp as I'd like it to be, but I feel like that's started to come around the last few weeks. Ball striking has been pretty good, and driving has been pretty good.

Just trying to get a little better every day and every week and ideally put myself in a good spot going into that last playoff event.

Q. Very streaky round for you as you kind of mentioned. Three birdies and then back-to-back bogeys and finishing with three birdies. How important is momentum for you as you go into the final round?

JAKE KNAPP: Yeah, it's important. Also just understanding that this is a golf course that's difficult, and if you get out of position, you're scrambling immediately to make par.

Just really stay patient. Making a bogey isn't really going to really hurt you out here. Everyone is going to make bogeys and make mistakes. Just understand you don't need to shoot 9-under, flawless round every single day. Kind of keep chipping away at it and give yourself some chances and let the round come to you.

Q. Last two years here, you obviously didn't finish the way you wanted to. What was the biggest difference for you today?

JAKE KNAPP: I think just being a little bit healthier. I feel like the last couple years, and even this year, just a little banged up maybe coming into this event and haven't been able to prepare the way I wanted to.

Whereas I feel like this year I'm able to prepare the way I want. I feel a lot more ready, and the game feels a lot sharper in general.

Q. Only hitting 50 percent of the fairways but constantly getting in position to make birdies. What does that say about your iron play?

JAKE KNAPP: The irons have been good. That's a thing out here I try to focus on is getting into the fairways more. I know I'm hitting the ball well. If I can just hit a few more fairways and give myself a few more chances, it's going to add up a lot over the four days.