'Papa, Thank You': Jake Knapp Makes an Emotional Tribute to His Late-Grandpa Who Battled Cancer in 2023

It seems Jake Knapp is not just a winner, but also a loving grandson! He had emerged victorious at the 2024 Mexico Open a while back with a scintillating even par 71 on the final day. Well, interestingly, he went ahead to dedicate his first PGA Tour to his late grandfather, Gordon Bowley, whom he lost to cancer back in 2023.

In an interview after clinching the win, the golfer gave out a probable reaction from his grandpa if he had witnessed the victory. The pro mentioned how he would have been “pretty pumped” and probably would have said, “Yo dude! Good playing, Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.” He then went ahead to look at heaven and say, “Papa, thank you.”

That’s not all when it comes to the love he has for his late ‘Papa’. Interestingly, the golfer has a tattoo below his left bicep that features four capital letters, GSFB, the initials of his late maternal grandfather. “I wanted it to show,” said the golfer once, all the while alluding to the letters on his arm, which he kept in remembrance of the youth sports figure who passed away at 85 due to colon cancer.

“He was the guy I talked to after every single round,” recounted Knapp a while back as he elaborated on how much of an effect Bowley had on his professional career. Moreover, he said, “Just very thankful to have a grandparent that was so close and so involved in my professional life and just our lives in general,” as he recollected how his family used to dub him as nothing short of “super special.”

It would seem that he finally managed to make his grandfather’s dream come true with the win in Mexico. “It was always like my dream and his dream as well for me to get out here,” recollected the champ before he played the final round in what could have been, and later on went on to become his first Tour win. However, not everything was as it seemed!

Jake Knapp’s par performance at the Mexico Open

Knapp wasn’t too happy with his performance in the first stretch of the finale. “Didn’t actually have my best stuff today, that’s for sure,” said the champ as he alluded to the final round score of 71, in which he carded two birdies. Moreover, he went ahead to dub the whole ordeal as “nerve-racking” and “tough.”

Adding on, Knapp recounted how he told his coach, “That’s as bad as we could have played,” while referring to the two bogeys on the first three holes, which brought his lead down to two. Continuing with his reaction, he said, “Just tried to settle in,” before mentioning how nice it would have been to “hit the driver a little bit better.”

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However, when the last stretch came, the golfer wasn’t too disappointed in himself. The reason? He managed to hold on to the top spot all the while sealing the deal with two birdies on the 7th hole and the 14th hole, respectively. Meanwhile, he fell just short of the 18th hole during his birdie shot, leading him to score a par for the same. Nevertheless, he managed to emerge victorious.

It would have truly been a heartwarming and joyous occasion for the golfer and his family, especially his late grandfather. He’d undoubtedly be the happiest man in heaven right now!