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- Planet Golf News for Friday, February 28, 2025
Planet Golf News for Friday, February 28, 2025
Jake Knapp shoots 59 at PGA National, narrowly misses tying PGA Tour scoring record | A Lim Kim Leads LPGA Tournament in Singapore by a Stroke Over Charley Hull | A Florida Gator took on a Florida gator. Billy Horschel prevailed in the matchup at PGA National
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Friday, February 28, 2025
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Today’s Top Golf News in Three Minutes
Good Morning,
Well, well, well—Jake Knapp just casually decided to turn PGA National into his personal playground, torching the place with a bogey-free 12-under 59 at the Cognizant Classic. Not bad for a guy who, not long ago, was working as a security guard instead of securing birdies. His round included a five-birdie streak to start the day, a 60-foot chip-in, and a near-miss on an 18th-hole eagle putt that would have tied Jim Furyk’s all-time PGA Tour record of 58. The course, typically known for its brutal conditions, was apparently feeling generous—light winds, soft greens, and overseeded fairways made it a birdie-fest, much to the dismay of some tour pros who were expecting a more traditional battle against the Bear Trap. But hey, low scores make for good TV, right?
Elsewhere at PGA National, Billy Horschel briefly stepped away from golf to moonlight as a wildlife wrangler, using a wedge to nudge an alligator back into the water. Because, you know, just another day in Florida. Meanwhile, Daniel Berger’s ball decided to take a scenic detour into a palm tree, forcing him to take a penalty drop. Naturally, he responded by chipping in for par and rattling off four straight birdies because adversity is just a warm-up for some of these guys.
Over in Singapore, A Lim Kim is leading the HSBC Women’s World Championship after navigating the wind to card a 4-under 68. Charley Hull is just one stroke back, having gone bogey-free but struggling to capitalize on the par-fives. Meanwhile, Minjee Lee is lurking at 2-under, balancing her golf with newfound fame from Netflix’s Full Swing. Not the worst way to spend a week.
Down in Argentina, the Visa Argentina Open is off to a historically crowded start, with eight players tied for the lead at 6-under. Korn Ferry Tour events don’t usually make headlines, but with an exemption into The Open Championship on the line, you can bet the intensity will crank up as the week progresses.
Over in South Africa, the Investec SA Open nearly turned into a boat race after heavy rain flooded Durban Country Club. But thanks to some heroic work by the grounds crew, play resumed with just a three-hour delay. Sam Bairstow, Fredrik From, and Darren Fichardt are leading at 7-under, with Fichardt still needing to finish his first round. Justin Harding, ever the voice of reason, praised the greens crew for making the course playable after what could’ve been a total washout.
Looking ahead, the Masters hype train is already gaining steam, with Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Scottie Scheffler emerging as the big names to watch. Rickie Fowler, meanwhile, is dropping cryptic eight-word messages about wanting “more wins,” as if that’s some kind of revelation. The Ryder Cup is also looming, and the trash talk is heating up, with Shane Lowry playfully acknowledging Keegan Bradley’s Full Swing-fueled determination to lead Team USA to victory. Nothing like a little pre-event drama to spice things up.
Finally, in the world of golf gear, Jake Knapp’s historic round apparently came with the help of a new TaylorMade driver and Scotty Cameron putter. Coincidence? Maybe. But if you see a spike in sales for those clubs next week, you’ll know why. Meanwhile, Charley Hull and Phil Mickelson continue to fine-tune their arsenals—Hull with a sleek TaylorMade setup, and Mickelson with his usual chaotic mix of two drivers, two 5-irons, and a hybrid that’s older than some of his competitors.
All in all, it’s been an eventful start to the weekend in golf. Records are falling, alligators are getting relocated, and Jake Knapp might just be the next big thing. Stay tuned—this one’s just getting started.
Today’s Top Golf News
Today’s Feature Golf Reads
Major Golf Tournaments happening this week
Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches - PGA Tour - PGA National Resort & Spa - Palm Beach Gardens, FL
The first round of the 2025 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, was marked by exceptional scoring conditions and a historic performance. Jake Knapp, ranked 99th in the world, stole the show with a remarkable bogey-free round of 59, becoming the 14th player in PGA Tour history to break 60. Knapp's round, which included 12 birdies, set a new tournament record and came within one shot of Jim Furyk's PGA Tour record of 58.
The course, typically known for its challenging conditions, played uncharacteristically easy due to light winds, soft greens, and overseeded fairways. This led to a barrage of low scores across the leaderboard. Daniel Berger, Russell Henley, and Sami Valimaki all carded impressive 8-under 63s, while Rickie Fowler was among those who opened with a 64. Jordan Spieth, continuing his comeback from wrist surgery, shot a solid 65.
Knapp's round was highlighted by a streak of five consecutive birdies to start his day, including a 60-foot chip-in on the second hole. He continued his stellar play throughout the round, narrowly missing a chance to tie Furyk's record with an eagle putt on the 18th hole.
The scoring conditions were so favorable that only a small number of players in the morning wave finished over par. This marks a significant departure from PGA National's usual reputation as one of the tour's toughest courses, largely due to recent changes in course management and favorable weather conditions.
HSBC Women’s World Championship - LPGA - Sentosa Golf Club - Singapore, Singapore
The first round of the HSBC Women's World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore saw A Lim Kim take the early lead with a 4-under 68. Kim skillfully managed the gusty winds, carding five birdies and a single bogey on the par-5 16th hole. England's Charley Hull put in a strong performance, finishing the day in second place with a bogey-free 3-under 69. Four players, including China's Ruoning Yin and Australia's Minjee Lee, are tied for third with scores of 70.
The challenging wind conditions at the Tanjong course made for a difficult day of play, with only 13 of the 66 players finishing under par. Notable performances include world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul from Thailand and world No. 3 Lydia Ko from New Zealand, both carding 1-under 71s. Defending champion Hannah Green struggled, posting a 3-over 75.
The tournament features a strong field, with nine of the top ten players in the world rankings participating. Jin Young Ko, aiming for her third victory at this event, opened with a 73, while last week's LPGA Thailand winner Angel Yin finished with a 76. China's Miranda Wang made her LPGA Tour debut, finishing the day at even par after recovering from back-to-back bogeys at the start.
Investec SA Open Championship - DP World Tour - Durban CC - Durban, South Africa
The first round of the Investec SA Open Championship at Durban Country Club in South Africa got off to a dramatic start. Heavy rain the day before threatened to postpone play, but thanks to the incredible efforts of the course maintenance staff and local municipality, who worked through the night, the tournament began with only a three-hour delay.
England's Sam Bairstow and Sweden's Fredrik From shared the clubhouse lead at the end of the first day, both carding impressive seven-under-par 65s. South Africa's Darren Fichardt was also at seven-under with four holes remaining when play was suspended due to darkness.
The leaderboard was tightly packed, with Jayden Schaper, Richie Ramsay, Shubhankar Sharma, Haotong Li, and Todd Clements all finishing at six-under-par. From's round was particularly noteworthy, featuring two eagles on the par-five third and tenth holes.
The challenging conditions didn't deter the players, who praised the course staff for their extraordinary work in making the course playable. The delayed start means the first round will be completed on Friday morning, with play set to resume at 8 am.
Among the amateurs, Bryan Newman and Christiaan Maas were leading at one-under-par, though they had yet to complete their rounds when play was suspended. The tournament has attracted a strong field of both professional and amateur players, with the amateurs vying not only for the Freddie Tait Cup but also hoping to challenge for the overall championship.
118 Visa Argentina Open pres. by Marco - Korn Ferry Tour - Jockey Club - Buenos Aires, Argentina
The first round of the 118 Visa Argentina Open presented by Macro at the Jockey Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina, has concluded with Sudarshan Yellamaraju taking the early lead. Yellamaraju shot an impressive 7-under 63 to position himself at the top of the leaderboard. Close behind are Hank Lebioda and Christo Lamprecht, both tied for second at 6-under par.
The tournament, which is part of the Korn Ferry Tour's Latin America swing, has attracted a strong field of 156 players competing for a $1,000,000 purse. Notable performances in the opening round include Kensei Hirata at 5-under par and a group of players including Josh Teater, Austin Hitt, and William McGirt tied at 4-under.
The Jockey Club course, measuring 6,803 yards and playing to a par of 70, has provided a challenging yet scorable setup for the players. The field includes several PGA TOUR winners and past champions of the Argentina Open, adding to the competitive atmosphere of the event.
As the tournament progresses, players will be vying not only for the substantial prize money but also for valuable points in the Korn Ferry Tour standings. The winner of this event will receive an exemption into The Open Championship at Royal Portrush later this year, adding extra incentive for the competitors.
With three rounds remaining, the leaderboard remains tight, setting the stage for an exciting continuation of the tournament as players aim to position themselves for a strong finish in this historically significant event on the Korn Ferry Tour schedule.
Upcoming: The Masters Tournament (April 7 - 13, 2025)
Upcoming: Ryder Cup (Sept 25-28, 2025)
What’s in the Bag (WITB)
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