Knapp shoots 59 to lead Cognizant Classic by four

Jake Knapp joined the PGA Tour in 2024

Cognizant Classic first-round leaderboard

-12 J Knapp (US); -8 D Berger (US), R Henley (US), S Valimaki (Fin); -7 R Fowler (US), K Mitchell (US), D Riley (US), S Ryder (US), JJ Spaun (US), J Svensson (Swe).

Selected others: -6 J Spieth (US); -5 S Lowry (Ire); -4 D Skinns (Eng).

Jake Knapp became the 15th player to record a sub-60 round in PGA Tour history when he shot a 12-under-par 59 in the Cognizant Classic in Florida.

The world number 99 began his opening round with five straight birdies and added a further seven in his remaining 13 holes at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens.

The 30-year-old had the opportunity to tie the lowest round in PGA Tour history but his eagle putt from 19 feet on the 18th rolled wide.

"I knew I had it going really early, but that can happen and then it can fizzle out pretty quickly," the American said.

"I thought I did a good job of just trying to focus on shot by shot and not letting what happened or what could happen affect anything.

"Once I made the long putt on 15, it was like, 'OK, now this is kind of here'. But at the same time, I didn't let it affect the gameplan or anything like that."

Knapp's sub-60 round is the fifth in PGA Tour history to have been made in the first round of an event and two of the previous four players to achieve that feat went on to win the tournament.

He got to 45th in the world during his rookie campaign in 2024, when he won his maiden PGA Tour title at the Mexico Open and finished in a tie for fourth at the Cognizant Classic.

Daniel Berger, Russell Henley and Sami Valimaki are four strokes behind Knapp in a three-way tie for second.

Rickie Fowler is among a group of six on seven under with Jordan Spieth one shot further back in a five-way tie for 11th.

'I'm not afraid of alligators'

Billy Horschel guided the alligator back to the water

Billy Horschel made an eagle on the second as he fired a five-under-par 65 - and also encountered an alligator as he made his way to the seventh.

The American used his club to nudge the reptile off the fairway and back into the water before going on to par the hole.

"Yeah, I'm not afraid of 'gators," Horschel said.

"They're more afraid of you. The majority of the time they're only going to come after you during mating season, when they're a little aggressive and then if you're around their nest when they've got some eggs.

"The majority of the time, they're fine. I grew up with my dad grabbing their tail when they're on the side of the bank and shooing them back in the water. I never touched a tail with my hand but I've done it with a club. Not that big of a deal."