The girlfriend of PGA Tour pro Jake Knapp, Makena White, has died aged 28, it was announced on Friday.

The news was announced on White’s Instagram account on the opening day of the Ryder Cup.

It said: ‘Hi everyone – this is Makena’s friend, writing with the heaviest heart to share that Makena passed away earlier this week. 

‘Makena was one of a kind. She had this rare way of making you feel special, and her huge heart was always overflowing with love.’

No other details regarding the cause of death or where White was when she died were revealed. Knapp, 31, did not qualify for this year’s Ryder Cup.

The Instagram post continued: ‘To be loved by Makena was a gift; one that came with endless laughter, so much joy, and a healthy sprinkling of chaos as we tried to keep up with her travel schedule.

‘If you would like to honour Makena’s memory, donations to the Bruyère Brain Health & Memory Clinic or the Griffin Bell Endowment Fund would mean a lot.

Makena White, the girlfriend of American PGA Tour golfer Jake Knapp, has died

The 28-year-old worked in surgical sales and was an avid sports fan

‘We love you Mak. We’ll miss you always, and we’ll be looking for you in the sunset.’

Tributes were paid to White underneath the post. 

CBS Sports course reporter Amanda Balionis commented: ‘Getting to know Makena was one of my favorite parts of this last year. So much laughter, passion and she never met a stranger. I will miss her light… it touched so many.’

‘What a light she was,’ golf writer and podcaster Dan Rapoport wrote. 

Knapp and White went public with their relationship after the golfer got his first PGA Tour win last year at the Mexico Open in February. They had been dating since August 2023.

White was a native of Ottawa, Ontario, and graduated with degrees in communications and software engineering in 2019 from McMaster University.

She worked in surgical sales – primarily providing equipment to vascular and cardiac surgeons.

White and Knapp took their relationship public in 2024 after he won his first PGA Tour event

Beyond her work, White was an avid sports fan – especially hockey where she cheered for her hometown Ottawa Senators.

White once said that she was a good golfer as a kid, ‘But from 16-21 I picked up a club maybe 5x total, I had no interest.’

But after falling in love with Knapp, she was said to have rediscovered her interest in the sport.

The last Instagram post she made celebrated Knapp’s end to his second season on the PGA Tour: ‘Year 2 of first fairway hugs & watching you live out your dreams. Second season in the books – forever grateful to be on this walk with you, here’s to many many many more! I loooooove you sweet boy, you make it so dang easy to be proud.’

Knapp turned pro in 2016, playing on PGA Tour Canada from 2016-2019 and then again in 2022. He also took part in the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020, 2021, and 2023.

He earned his PGA Tour card in 2024 – winning his first event on the tour in just his fifth start.

Last year, Knapp had three top-10 finishes: a T6 at the Cognizant Classic in Florida, a T4 at the Rocket Classic in Detroit, and a T3 at the 3M Open in Minnesota.

He reached the FedEx Cup play-offs, being eliminated after finishing tied for 62nd at the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis.