Capan & Knapp Shoot 60, Are Tied for Second in Zurich Classic

AVONDALE, La. -- Frankie Capan birdied six holes in seven-hole stretch Saturday during the third round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. That plus a couple of late birdies by his partner, Jake Knapp, enabled them to post the lowest round of the day, a 12-under-par 60, and as a result, they are tied for second place going into the final round of the tournament. 

Zurich is the only official event on the PGA Tour schedule that is not contested by players competing as individuals. Instead, it's a two-man team competition. The teams play best ball on Day 1 and alternate shot on Day 2. They played best ball again Saturday, which was Day 3, and they will play alternate shot again in the final round on Sunday.

Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin posted a 61 Saturday at TPC Louisiana, and they are the 54-hole leaders with a total of 189 (minus 27). Capan, a former Minnesota State Amateur champion from North Oaks, and Knapp are three back at 192, along with the team of Ryo Hisatsune and Takumi Kanaya, who shot 61. 

Rory McElroy, who recently completed a career grand slam by winning the Masters, and his partner Shane Lowry are the defending champions, and they are lurking, five behind the leaders and two behind Capan and Knapp at 194.

Knapp got things started on Saturday with a birdie on the first hole. Capan birdied the 548-yard, par-5 second hole and added three more birdies on the front nine, includiing the 344-yard, par-4 eighth and the 202-yard, par-3 ninth. After parring the 10th, he resumed his birdie barage at the par-5 11th (573 yards), and followed that with birdies at the long, 493-yard, par-4 12th, the 13th and the 216-yard, par-3 14th. Knapp added birdies at the16th and par-3 17th. They could have broken 60 with a birdie at the par-5 18th (578 yards), but they ended up having to settle for a par there -- and 60. 

The 25-year-old Capan won the State Am in 2020 and was the MGA Player of the Year  that year. He turned professional in the fall of 2022, and made his way onto the Korn Ferry Tour right away. In 2023, he finished 51st on the KF money list, but he moved up to No. 3 on the money list last year, after winning once, finishing second twice and in the top 10 seven times. That earned him a promotion to the PGA Tour in 2025. Coming into this week, he had played in 10 tournaments and made $231,737, which put him at No. 148 on the money list. (Knapp, 30, is No. 49 on the money list with just under $1.5 million.) 

But Capan and Knapp are now both in position to move up significantly with a good showiing in the alternate shot competition Sunday. The winners will collect $1,329,400 each. 

But they will need to play well again in the alternate shot to earn a  high finish. In addition McElroy and Lowry, there are four other teams within two shots of them, not to mention the five teams that are three behind them. 


Zurich Classic of New Orleans

At TPC Louisiana

Par 72, 7,442 yards

Avondale, La.

Third-round results 

1. Andrew Novak/Ben Griffin                        62-66-71--189

T2/ Frankie Capan/Jake Knapp                 63-69-60--192

T2. Ryo Hisatsune/Takumi Kanaya               62-69-61--192

T4. Nicolai Hojgaard/Rasmus Hojgaard        59-70-64--193

T4. Isalah Salinda/Kevin Velo                        58-69-66--193

T6. Rory McElry/Shane Lowry                       64-69-61--194

T6. Cam Davis/Adam Svensson                    61-72-61--194

T6. Luke List/Henrik Norlander                      64-69-61--194

T29. Tom Hoge/Kevin Chappell                  63-71-66--200

Missed cut -- 134

Troy Merritt/Robert Strebb                           65-70--135

Erik Van Rooyen/Christian Bezuidenhout  66-69--135