The golf world is mourning after the sudden death of Makena White, the 28-year-old girlfriend of PGA Tour golfer Jake Knapp. On September 26, 2025, one of her closest friends uploaded on Makena’s Instagram page. The post verified her death earlier in the week, stunning her family, friends, and the golf community. Her loved ones have asked for privacy, and no additional information was provided.
Makena White remembered with love by family, friends and golf community
In the Instagram post, Makena’s friend wrote that she will be “so deeply missed” by her father, her family, her friends, and her two dogs, Nelly and Fergie. The tribute hailed her as “one of a kind” and noted that being loved by her was a real present full of laughter, joy, and indelible memories. The invitation further urged people to commemorate her by contributions to the Bruyère Brain Health & Memory Clinic or the Griffin Bell Endowment Fund. Tributes began to flood in from fans and golf world members soon after the post went up. CBS Sports reporter Amanda Balionis recalled Makena as a bringer of light to every room.She wrote that meeting and knowing Makena had been one of her favorite parts of the past year. The outpouring of grief showed how deeply she touched people’s lives in such a short time.Also Read: Danica Patrick delivers chilling warning on Jimmy Kimmel’s ABC future after Charlie Kirk remarks
Jake Knapp’s career and their relationship
Thirty-one-year-old Jake Knapp has kept quiet ever since the report was made public. He and Makena first hid their relationship undercover in August 2023. Golf buffs started to know her when she backed his side during some of the most important events of his career. Knapp captured his first PGA Tour championship in February 2024 at the Mexico Open; Makena was with him. On the eighteenth green, many people gave their emotional embrace. Shooting a bogey-free 59 at the Cognizant Classic in March 2025, she also assisted him to reach one of the highlights of the season. Makena White’s surprise death has rocked her fans, relatives, and golf community. She is remembered for her compassion, her spirit, and the joy she brought into so many lives even in grieving.
