PGA Tour winner details taking up nightclub security job to ‘make a few bucks at night’

PGA Tour winner Jake Knapp opened up about the time he worked as a nightclub security while struggling with his career. The American golfer is gearing up to defend his title at the Mexico Open this week. He won his maiden PGA Tour event last year by defeating Sami Valimaki by two strokes at the Mexico Open and will return to the game this week.

During the pre-tournament press conference of the 2025 Mexico Open, Jake Knapp reflected on the time when he worked at the nightclub as a security to meet his needs. Knapp lost his Korn Ferry Tour card and struggled to earn the status by Q-school in 2021. So to help himself financially, he worked as a security in a nightclub.

Knapp opened up about his security job, saying (via Tee Scripts):

"For those kind of eight, nine months I just felt like I needed a job to help make a little bit of money and make sure that all my money just wasn't being wasted because if you're not playing in tournaments, then you're just spending money on rent, insurance, all that sort of stuff. "

"Yeah, just wanted to get a job that allowed me to still practice during the day and make a few bucks at night and that just kind of seemed to work out the best for me," he added.

Jake Knapp started off his campaign on the PGA Tour in 2025 at The Sentry earlier this year. He played the four rounds of 72, 73, 70, and 71 and managed a 56th place finish. However, he then missed the cut at The American Express but then finished in T32 place at the Farmers Insurance Open, T33 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, T44 at the WM Phoenix Open, and T17 at The Genesis Invitational.

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When will Jake Knapp tee off at the PGA Tour's Mexico Open 2025?

Knapp will tee off at the 2025 Mexico Open on Thursday, February 20. He will tee off at the tournament on the first tee hole at 1:43 p.m. ET in a group with Aaron Rai and Patrick Rodgers.

The tournament will start at 8:30 a.m. ET with players starting the game on the first and tenth tee holes. Ben Martin will start his game in a group with Jonathan Byrd and Ben Kohles on the first tee hole, while Sam Ryder, Greyson Sigg, and Ryo Hisatsune will start the game on the tenth hole.

Michel Thorbjornsen will tee off on the first tee hole at 2:27 p.m. ET in a group with Matteo Manassero and Karl Vilips. Joel Dahmen will tee off on the tenth hole with Taylor Montgomery and Chan Kim at 8:52 a.m. ET.