Makena White, the girlfriend of PGA Tour winner Jake Knapp, has died at the age of 28, with a friend announcing the news in a message posted to White’s Instagram account on Friday, 26 September. No cause of death was disclosed. The post said White “passed away earlier this week,” and asked for privacy for her family and friends. Knapp, 31, released a statement through his manager expressing shock and grief, calling the loss “a tough reality to comprehend.” The death came weeks after White’s final Instagram post on 11 August, a message of pride in Knapp’s second season on tour.
White’s last public message focused entirely on her partner’s career and the life they were building. “Year 2 of first fairway hugs & watching you live out your dreams,” she wrote over a photograph of the couple on a course. “Second season in the books — forever grateful to be on this walk with you, here’s to many many many more! I looooove you sweet boy, you make it so dang easy to be proud.” The post, dated 11 August, remained her most recent update when news of her death was shared.
The announcement, written by a friend and posted to White’s account, described her as “one of a kind” with “a rare way of making you feel special,” and said she was “already so deeply missed by her Dad, her family, her friends, and of course by Nelly and Fergie,” the two dogs frequently featured in her social media. The message invited those wishing to honour White to donate to the Bruyère Brain Health & Memory Clinic in Ottawa or to the Griffin Bell Endowment Fund, and ended: “We love you Mak. We’ll miss you always, and we’ll be looking for you in the sunset.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Makena White (@makenawhite91)
Knapp, who captured his first PGA Tour title at the Mexico Open in February 2024 and shot a 59 at the Cognizant Classic in February this year, asked for privacy and spoke of White’s character in a statement provided to the Associated Press and also shared with People. “Makena was such a thoughtful person whose selflessness toward others is something I will always appreciate,” he said. “We shared so many unforgettable memories together and now that she’s no longer with us, it’s a tough reality to comprehend. She had an incredible family, great friends, and her fun, outgoing energy will be missed by all of us.”