The American Jake Knapp, aged 30, and the Thai Patty Tavatanakit, aged 25, have achieved victory after leading the tournament from start to finish at the Grant Thornton Invitational, a mixed pairs event that brings together several stars from the PGA Tour and the LPGA over a festive weekend in the middle of December. A title that has demonstrated their total harmony at the Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Florida.
They started on Friday with a sensational 58 in scramble format, achieving nine consecutive birdies in their first holes, adding three more and an eagle in the second half of the course. They accelerated on Saturday with 66 strokes in foursomes with seven birdies and a single bogey. They completed their triumph on Sunday with 65 in a modified fourball for a total of 27 under par, a tournament record, and one ahead in the overall standings.
A team victory for @KnappTime_LTD and Patty Tavatanakit 🏆 pic.twitter.com/QG5Iugke1t
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 15, 2024
In the final round’s game format, both players of each pair hit a ball from the tee, swapped them on the second shot, and continued with that ball until completing the hole, counting the lowest score of the two for the pair. Five birdies and an eagle on the first flag were enough for the tournament winners, closing a sensational year.
Knapp achieved his first PGA Tour title at the Mexico Open at Vidanta. Meanwhile, Tavatanakit won the Honda LPGA Thailand, her second victory on the women’s tour after winning the ANA Inspiration in 2021, and the Aramco Saudi Ladies International on the Ladies European Tour. Today, both add another achievement to their record, even if it is a festive event with just 16 pairs in the field.
Second place went to Atthaya Thitikul and Tom Kim (-26), just one stroke behind the champions. Meanwhile, the third position, also solo, was claimed by the pair of Jennifer Kupcho and Akshay Bhatia (-25). Thus concludes the penultimate event of the year in elite American golf, with the PNC Championship for parents and children next week as the final highlight before welcoming 2025
