{"id":2012831,"date":"2026-06-17T17:00:53","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T14:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2012831"},"modified":"2026-06-17T17:00:53","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T14:00:53","slug":"the-laid-back-mindset-behind-jake-knapps-rise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2012831","title":{"rendered":"The Laid-Back Mindset Behind Jake Knapp&#8217;s Rise"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-tw.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-post-body col\">\n<div class=\"row post-body\">\n<aside class=\"post-body-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-upper\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-category d-none d-lg-block\">\n<p>    Golf\n                                                                                                    <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-published d-none d-lg-block\">\n                                                                                                                    <time>Jun 17, 2026<\/time><\/p><\/div>\n<ul class=\"post-body-sidebar-hype-comments-container list-unstyled d-none d-lg-block\">\n<li>\n<p>                <span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             683<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\">\n                    <span>Views<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n                                                                                                                                <span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span class=\"icon icon-comment\"><\/span><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-sm-inline text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>            <span class=\"bookmark-icon\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"bookmark-svg\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><br \/>\n            <span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-author d-none d-lg-block\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n        <span class=\"presented-by\">Presented by<br \/>\n                            melin<br \/>\n                    <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-share d-none d-lg-block\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<article class=\"post-body-article\">\n<div class=\"post-gallery-container small inner-media\">\n<div class=\"gallery-container post-gallery-contain\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"The Laid-Back Mindset Behind Jake Knapp&apos;s Rise\">\n<div class=\"hb-gallery before-booted full-screen-enabled only-one-cell \" data-images=\"[{&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_caption&quot;:null,&quot;small&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?w=480&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;medium&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?w=720&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;large&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;xlarge&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;full&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;},&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/06\/16\/jake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Jake Knapp PGA Tour golfer interview on style mindset and golf&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:853,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;melin&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;creditKey&quot;:&quot;general&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;annotations&quot;:null,&quot;shop&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:null,&quot;label&quot;:&quot;Shop Now&quot;}}]\" role=\"list\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell landscape\" data-gallery-index=\"1\" role=\"listitem\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-inner-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-image-wrapper annotation-container fixed-ratio-3-2\">\n<p>                                                                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"carousel-cell-image\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?q=90&amp;w=800&amp;cbr=1&amp;fit=max\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" alt=\"Jake Knapp PGA Tour golfer interview on style mindset and golf\"><\/p><\/div>\n<p>                        <span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"sprite-gallery-expand\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"gallery-meta-container credit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"spacer\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"credit \">Melin<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"post-body-top-bar\" class=\"post-body-top-bar d-block d-lg-none\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\">\n                                                    <span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Golf<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><br \/>\n                                                                <span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><br \/>\n                                                                <time>Jun 17, 2026<\/time><\/p>\n<p>                                                    <\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \">\n<p>                <span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             683<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\">\n                    <span>Views<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                                                                <span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span class=\"icon icon-comment\"><\/span><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>            <span class=\"bookmark-icon\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"bookmark-svg\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><br \/>\n            <span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content\">\n<p>For decades, professional golf has rewarded a certain type of athlete. The expectation wasn\u2019t necessarily that players all looked the same, but that they presented themselves in roughly the same way. Success on the PGA TOUR often came packaged with a carefully managed image, one that rarely extended much further than golf itself.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s begun to change. A younger generation of players has arrived with interests, influences and personalities that feel shaped by a much broader set of cultural references. Some grew up immersed in skateboarding, surfing, sneakers or streetwear. Others have built audiences online that follow them as much for who they are as how they play. The result is a professional game that feels increasingly reflective of the world around it rather than isolated from it.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"inner-container\">\n<div class=\"inner-content\">\n<div class=\"adunit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"in-content-ad-outer\">\n<p><!-- Tag ID: HBENGLOB_ATF_INCONTENT --><\/p>\n<div class=\"adunit in-content lazy-load no-init\" data-freestar-ad=\"__300x250\" data-adunit=\"HBENGLOB_ATF_INCONTENT\" data-targeting=\"{&quot;HBSiteLoc&quot;:[&quot;ros&quot;,&quot;article&quot;],&quot;HBSiteCat&quot;:[&quot;features&quot;,&quot;golf&quot;,&quot;melin-brand&quot;,&quot;hypegolf&quot;,&quot;us-open-golf&quot;,&quot;jake-knapp&quot;,&quot;lifestyle&quot;],&quot;HBSitePage&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;HBSiteLang&quot;:&quot;en&quot;,&quot;country&quot;:&quot;ro&quot;,&quot;region&quot;:&quot;emea&quot;,&quot;subRegion&quot;:&quot;europe&quot;,&quot;HBArticle&quot;:6738507,&quot;HBBlacklist&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Jake Knapp is one of the more recognizable examples of that shift.\n<\/p>\n<p>Before becoming a PGA TOUR winner, Knapp was a kid growing up in Costa Mesa, California surrounded by the surf, skate and action sports culture that has long defined Orange County. Those influences are still visible today. Whether it\u2019s his laid-back demeanor, his personal style or the effortless power that has become one of his calling cards, Knapp often feels more like a Southern California athlete who happens to play golf than a golfer trying to fit a particular mold.\n<\/p>\n<p>That perspective is part of what makes his partnership with melin feel like a natural fit. Knapp\u2019s W.I.N. philosophy (short for \u201cWhat\u2019s Important Now\u201d) is built around staying present and focusing on the task directly in front of you. While the concept applies to competition, it extends beyond tournament golf and into the daily habits, routines and decisions that ultimately shape performance. It\u2019s that mindset that inspired his new W.I.N. Signature Hat with melin.\n<\/p>\n<p>We caught up with Knapp to discuss the meaning behind W.I.N., the influence of growing up in Costa Mesa, why authenticity matters more than ever and how staying true to yourself can become a competitive advantage.\n<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media bypass\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DZpsbw8gEn-\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div>\n<p>\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<p>A post shared by PGA TOUR Studios Originals (@pgatouroriginals)\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Hypegolf: Your W.I.N. philosophy stands for \u201cWhat\u2019s Important Now.\u201d What does that actually look like during a tournament week?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>Jake Knapp: For me, it\u2019s about controlling what I can control that week. On the course that\u2019s all the prep and the strategy with my caddie. But a big part of it is everything off the course\u2014getting my body moving well, eating right, getting enough rest so I\u2019ve got the energy to compete. Whatever\u2019s right in front of me, whether it\u2019s a workout or a range session or just getting to bed at a decent hour, that\u2019s the most important thing. It\u2019s not complicated, and for me it is doing the right thing right now day after day.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Golf constantly pulls players toward future outcomes. Has focusing on what\u2019s important now changed the way you compete?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a constant reminder to stay in the moment. Everyone hears \u201cone shot at a time\u201d but what\u2019s important now also includes the things you do between shots. This can be as simple as walking at the right pace and breathing the right way to stay present when the pressure is high in a tournament.\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode-slider before-booted full-screen-enabled light\" data-width=\"100%\" data-animate=\"slide\" data-slideshow data-loop data-slideshowspeed=\"7000\" data-group-cells=\"1\">\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel\">\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"1\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">1 of 3<\/span><span class=\"sprite-gallery-expand\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p>                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" class=\"portrait\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-2.jpg?w=1260&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"spacer\"><\/span><span class=\"credit\">Melin<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"2\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">2 of 3<\/span><span class=\"sprite-gallery-expand\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p>                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" class=\"portrait\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-3.jpg?w=1260&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"spacer\"><\/span><span class=\"credit\">Melin<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"3\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">3 of 3<\/span><span class=\"sprite-gallery-expand\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p>                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" class=\"portrait\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-4.jpg?w=1260&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"spacer\"><\/span><span class=\"credit\">Melin<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>You grew up in Costa Mesa surrounded by surf, skate and action sports culture. How much has that influenced the way you approach golf and personal style?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>A lot. Growing up in Costa Mesa definitely helped shape a lot of my interests, which in turn has helped me become who I am. I probably look more like a SoCal kid who surfs and skates than plays golf, but I just try to be myself and bring a little bit of where I come from to my style while not taking myself too seriously.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Your swing produces incredible speed but always looks effortless. Do you think the way you play golf reflects your personality off the course?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>Yeah I think it does. Between the ropes I\u2019m definitely competitive, but in my own way it\u2019s always rooted in my laid-back nature. I think to play your best in tournaments you need to be true to who you are.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>A lot of athletes today are building identities beyond their sport. When people think about Jake Knapp, what\u2019s something you hope they understand about you beyond golf?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>Honestly, I hope they just see a normal dude from Costa Mesa who\u2019s living the dream. I\u2019m incredibly blessed to do what I love for a living, but I haven\u2019t really changed anything \u2013 same people around me, same place I\u2019m from, same guy. I think staying grounded and being good to the people who helped get you here matters and that\u2019s what I\u2019d want people to take away.\n<\/p>\n<p><em>The conversation around W.I.N. extends beyond the interview. Working alongside melin, Knapp helped create a personalized version of the brand\u2019s Odysea silhouette built around the philosophy that has guided both his golf career and life away from the course.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n<p><em>Shop the melin x Jake Knapp W.I.N. Signature Hat at melin.com.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"show-article\">\n<p>                                                            Read Full Article<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<footer>\n<div class=\"related-stories-main-wrapper\">\n<h3>Related Stories<\/h3>\n<div class=\"stories-container\" data-layer-list-name=\"related_stories\" data-layer-list-offset=\"0\" data-layer-list-child-selector=\".story-item\">\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6741239\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\">\n                                                                            <span>&gt;<\/span>Don Toliver Extends &#8216;OCTANE&#8217; Tour: Everything We Loved in Music This Week\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6740533\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\">\n                                                                            <span>&gt;<\/span>Curry Barker, Horror&#8217;s New King, Hates Cheap Jump Scares\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6743040\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\">\n                                                                            <span>&gt;<\/span>Stagnancy Is SWAVAY\u2019s Biggest Enemy\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-email-signup-wrapper impression-tracker\">\n<h3>We got you covered. Don\u2019t miss out on the latest news by signing up for our newsletters.<\/h3>\n<div class=\"widget-newsletter-form\">\n<div class=\"hb-input-group\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"errors\">\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"terms\">By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-author d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n        <span class=\"presented-by\">Presented by<br \/>\n                            melin<br \/>\n                    <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-share d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content-tags\">\n<div class=\"body collapsed\">\n<p>    Melin BrandHypegolfUS Open GolfJake Knapp\n                                                            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"teads-adcall\"><\/div>\n<div data-adunit=\"HBENGLOB_BTF_POLL\" class=\"adunit ad-poll\" data-freestar-ad=\"__1x1 __2x2\" data-targeting=\"{&quot;HBSiteLoc&quot;:[&quot;category&quot;,&quot;ros&quot;],&quot;HBSiteCat&quot;:[&quot;jake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy&quot;],&quot;HBSitePage&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;HBSiteLang&quot;:&quot;en&quot;,&quot;country&quot;:&quot;ro&quot;,&quot;region&quot;:&quot;emea&quot;,&quot;subRegion&quot;:&quot;europe&quot;,&quot;adPosition&quot;:[&quot;bottom&quot;],&quot;sortable&quot;:&quot;false&quot;}\"><\/div>\n<section class=\"post__body__author_info\">\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__inner\">\n<p>                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F05%2Fjulius-300.jpg?w=100&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt=\"Julius Oppenheimer\" class=\"post__body__author_info__avatar\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__body\">\n<p>                    Julius Oppenheimer<\/p>\n<p>                                    <span class=\"post__body__author_info__title\">Senior Editor, Hypegolf<\/span>\n                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__bio_wrapper\">\n<p class=\"post__body__author_info__bio\">Julius Oppenheimer is an editor focused on the intersection of golf, sport and culture. His work explores how the game is evolving through style, storytelling and the people shaping its future. He has reported from major tournaments and collaborated with leading brands, bringing a nuanced, culturally aware and authentic perspective to Hypebeast&#8217;s golf vertical.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/footer>\n<div class=\"sponsored-content row\">\n<div class=\"aftercontent-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"aftercontent-clipper\">\n<div class=\"aftercontent-inner\">\n            <!-- Tag ID: HBENGLOB_BTF_AFTERCONTENT --><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-article adunit sticky-post aftercontent\" data-freestar-ad=\"__300x250\" data-adunit=\"HBENGLOB_BTF_AFTERCONTENT\" 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data-outofpage=\"true\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"shopping-break-6738507\" class=\"shopping-break-wrapper\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr>\n<p><!-- cached at 2026-06-26T07:15:12-04:00 --><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-comments\">\n<div id=\"comments\" class=\"post-comments none \">\n<header>\n<div class=\"heading\">\n                    <span class=\"comment-count\">0<\/span> <span>Comments<\/span>\n                <\/div>\n<div class=\"comment-dropdown-tooltip\">\n<ul>\n<li>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"comment-dropdown-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"row post-body\">\n<aside class=\"post-body-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-upper\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-category d-none d-lg-block\">\n<p>    Golf\n                                                                                                    <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-published d-none d-lg-block\">\n                                                                                                                    <time>Jun 17, 2026<\/time><\/p><\/div>\n<ul class=\"post-body-sidebar-hype-comments-container list-unstyled d-none d-lg-block\">\n<li>\n<p>                <span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             683<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\">\n                    <span>Views<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n                                                                                                                                <span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span class=\"icon icon-comment\"><\/span><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-sm-inline text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>            <span class=\"bookmark-icon\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"bookmark-svg\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><br \/>\n            <span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-author d-none d-lg-block\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n        <span class=\"presented-by\">Presented by<br \/>\n                            melin<br \/>\n                    <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-share d-none d-lg-block\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<article class=\"post-body-article\">\n<div class=\"post-gallery-container small inner-media\">\n<div class=\"gallery-container post-gallery-contain\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"The Laid-Back Mindset Behind Jake Knapp&apos;s Rise\">\n<div class=\"hb-gallery before-booted full-screen-enabled only-one-cell \" data-images=\"[{&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_caption&quot;:null,&quot;small&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?w=480&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;medium&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?w=720&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;large&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;xlarge&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;full&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;},&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/06\/16\/jake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Jake Knapp PGA Tour golfer interview on style mindset and golf&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:853,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;melin&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;creditKey&quot;:&quot;general&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;annotations&quot;:null,&quot;shop&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:null,&quot;label&quot;:&quot;Shop Now&quot;}}]\" role=\"list\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell landscape\" data-gallery-index=\"1\" role=\"listitem\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-inner-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-image-wrapper annotation-container fixed-ratio-3-2\">\n<p>                                                                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"carousel-cell-image\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?q=90&amp;w=800&amp;cbr=1&amp;fit=max\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" alt=\"Jake Knapp PGA Tour golfer interview on style mindset and golf\"><\/p><\/div>\n<p>                        <span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"sprite-gallery-expand\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"gallery-meta-container credit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"spacer\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"credit \">Melin<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"post-body-top-bar\" class=\"post-body-top-bar d-block d-lg-none\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\">\n                                                    <span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Golf<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><br \/>\n                                                                <span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><br \/>\n                                                                <time>Jun 17, 2026<\/time><\/p>\n<p>                                                    <\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \">\n<p>                <span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             683<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\">\n                    <span>Views<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                                                                <span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span class=\"icon icon-comment\"><\/span><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>            <span class=\"bookmark-icon\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"bookmark-svg\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><br \/>\n            <span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content\">\n<p>For decades, professional golf has rewarded a certain type of athlete. The expectation wasn\u2019t necessarily that players all looked the same, but that they presented themselves in roughly the same way. Success on the PGA TOUR often came packaged with a carefully managed image, one that rarely extended much further than golf itself.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s begun to change. A younger generation of players has arrived with interests, influences and personalities that feel shaped by a much broader set of cultural references. Some grew up immersed in skateboarding, surfing, sneakers or streetwear. Others have built audiences online that follow them as much for who they are as how they play. The result is a professional game that feels increasingly reflective of the world around it rather than isolated from it.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"inner-container\">\n<div class=\"inner-content\">\n<div class=\"adunit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"in-content-ad-outer\">\n<p><!-- Tag ID: HBENGLOB_ATF_INCONTENT --><\/p>\n<div class=\"adunit in-content lazy-load no-init\" data-freestar-ad=\"__300x250\" data-adunit=\"HBENGLOB_ATF_INCONTENT\" data-targeting=\"{&quot;HBSiteLoc&quot;:[&quot;ros&quot;,&quot;article&quot;],&quot;HBSiteCat&quot;:[&quot;features&quot;,&quot;golf&quot;,&quot;melin-brand&quot;,&quot;hypegolf&quot;,&quot;us-open-golf&quot;,&quot;jake-knapp&quot;,&quot;lifestyle&quot;],&quot;HBSitePage&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;HBSiteLang&quot;:&quot;en&quot;,&quot;country&quot;:&quot;ro&quot;,&quot;region&quot;:&quot;emea&quot;,&quot;subRegion&quot;:&quot;europe&quot;,&quot;HBArticle&quot;:6738507,&quot;HBBlacklist&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Jake Knapp is one of the more recognizable examples of that shift.\n<\/p>\n<p>Before becoming a PGA TOUR winner, Knapp was a kid growing up in Costa Mesa, California surrounded by the surf, skate and action sports culture that has long defined Orange County. Those influences are still visible today. Whether it\u2019s his laid-back demeanor, his personal style or the effortless power that has become one of his calling cards, Knapp often feels more like a Southern California athlete who happens to play golf than a golfer trying to fit a particular mold.\n<\/p>\n<p>That perspective is part of what makes his partnership with melin feel like a natural fit. Knapp\u2019s W.I.N. philosophy (short for \u201cWhat\u2019s Important Now\u201d) is built around staying present and focusing on the task directly in front of you. While the concept applies to competition, it extends beyond tournament golf and into the daily habits, routines and decisions that ultimately shape performance. It\u2019s that mindset that inspired his new W.I.N. Signature Hat with melin.\n<\/p>\n<p>We caught up with Knapp to discuss the meaning behind W.I.N., the influence of growing up in Costa Mesa, why authenticity matters more than ever and how staying true to yourself can become a competitive advantage.\n<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media bypass\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DZpsbw8gEn-\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div>\n<p>\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<p>A post shared by PGA TOUR Studios Originals (@pgatouroriginals)\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Hypegolf: Your W.I.N. philosophy stands for \u201cWhat\u2019s Important Now.\u201d What does that actually look like during a tournament week?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>Jake Knapp: For me, it\u2019s about controlling what I can control that week. On the course that\u2019s all the prep and the strategy with my caddie. But a big part of it is everything off the course\u2014getting my body moving well, eating right, getting enough rest so I\u2019ve got the energy to compete. Whatever\u2019s right in front of me, whether it\u2019s a workout or a range session or just getting to bed at a decent hour, that\u2019s the most important thing. It\u2019s not complicated, and for me it is doing the right thing right now day after day.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Golf constantly pulls players toward future outcomes. Has focusing on what\u2019s important now changed the way you compete?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a constant reminder to stay in the moment. Everyone hears \u201cone shot at a time\u201d but what\u2019s important now also includes the things you do between shots. This can be as simple as walking at the right pace and breathing the right way to stay present when the pressure is high in a tournament.\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode-slider before-booted full-screen-enabled light\" data-width=\"100%\" data-animate=\"slide\" data-slideshow data-loop data-slideshowspeed=\"7000\" data-group-cells=\"1\">\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel\">\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"1\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">1 of 3<\/span><span class=\"sprite-gallery-expand\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p>                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" class=\"portrait\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-2.jpg?w=1260&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"spacer\"><\/span><span class=\"credit\">Melin<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"2\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">2 of 3<\/span><span class=\"sprite-gallery-expand\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p>                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" class=\"portrait\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-3.jpg?w=1260&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"spacer\"><\/span><span class=\"credit\">Melin<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"3\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">3 of 3<\/span><span class=\"sprite-gallery-expand\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p>                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" class=\"portrait\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-4.jpg?w=1260&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"spacer\"><\/span><span class=\"credit\">Melin<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>You grew up in Costa Mesa surrounded by surf, skate and action sports culture. How much has that influenced the way you approach golf and personal style?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>A lot. Growing up in Costa Mesa definitely helped shape a lot of my interests, which in turn has helped me become who I am. I probably look more like a SoCal kid who surfs and skates than plays golf, but I just try to be myself and bring a little bit of where I come from to my style while not taking myself too seriously.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Your swing produces incredible speed but always looks effortless. Do you think the way you play golf reflects your personality off the course?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>Yeah I think it does. Between the ropes I\u2019m definitely competitive, but in my own way it\u2019s always rooted in my laid-back nature. I think to play your best in tournaments you need to be true to who you are.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>A lot of athletes today are building identities beyond their sport. When people think about Jake Knapp, what\u2019s something you hope they understand about you beyond golf?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>Honestly, I hope they just see a normal dude from Costa Mesa who\u2019s living the dream. I\u2019m incredibly blessed to do what I love for a living, but I haven\u2019t really changed anything \u2013 same people around me, same place I\u2019m from, same guy. I think staying grounded and being good to the people who helped get you here matters and that\u2019s what I\u2019d want people to take away.\n<\/p>\n<p><em>The conversation around W.I.N. extends beyond the interview. Working alongside melin, Knapp helped create a personalized version of the brand\u2019s Odysea silhouette built around the philosophy that has guided both his golf career and life away from the course.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n<p><em>Shop the melin x Jake Knapp W.I.N. Signature Hat at melin.com.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"show-article\">\n<p>                                                            Read Full Article<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<footer>\n<div class=\"related-stories-main-wrapper\">\n<h3>Related Stories<\/h3>\n<div class=\"stories-container\" data-layer-list-name=\"related_stories\" data-layer-list-offset=\"0\" data-layer-list-child-selector=\".story-item\">\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6741239\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\">\n                                                                            <span>&gt;<\/span>Don Toliver Extends &#8216;OCTANE&#8217; Tour: Everything We Loved in Music This Week\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6740533\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\">\n                                                                            <span>&gt;<\/span>Curry Barker, Horror&#8217;s New King, Hates Cheap Jump Scares\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6743040\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\">\n                                                                            <span>&gt;<\/span>Stagnancy Is SWAVAY\u2019s Biggest Enemy\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-email-signup-wrapper impression-tracker\">\n<h3>We got you covered. Don\u2019t miss out on the latest news by signing up for our newsletters.<\/h3>\n<div class=\"widget-newsletter-form\">\n<div class=\"hb-input-group\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"errors\">\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"terms\">By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-author d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n        <span class=\"presented-by\">Presented by<br \/>\n                            melin<br \/>\n                    <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-share d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content-tags\">\n<div class=\"body collapsed\">\n<p>    Melin BrandHypegolfUS Open GolfJake Knapp\n                                                            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"teads-adcall\"><\/div>\n<div data-adunit=\"HBENGLOB_BTF_POLL\" class=\"adunit ad-poll\" data-freestar-ad=\"__1x1 __2x2\" data-targeting=\"{&quot;HBSiteLoc&quot;:[&quot;category&quot;,&quot;ros&quot;],&quot;HBSiteCat&quot;:[&quot;jake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy&quot;],&quot;HBSitePage&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;HBSiteLang&quot;:&quot;en&quot;,&quot;country&quot;:&quot;ro&quot;,&quot;region&quot;:&quot;emea&quot;,&quot;subRegion&quot;:&quot;europe&quot;,&quot;adPosition&quot;:[&quot;bottom&quot;],&quot;sortable&quot;:&quot;false&quot;}\"><\/div>\n<section class=\"post__body__author_info\">\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__inner\">\n<p>                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F05%2Fjulius-300.jpg?w=100&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt=\"Julius Oppenheimer\" class=\"post__body__author_info__avatar\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__body\">\n<p>                    Julius Oppenheimer<\/p>\n<p>                                    <span class=\"post__body__author_info__title\">Senior Editor, Hypegolf<\/span>\n                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__bio_wrapper\">\n<p class=\"post__body__author_info__bio\">Julius Oppenheimer is an editor focused on the intersection of golf, sport and culture. His work explores how the game is evolving through style, storytelling and the people shaping its future. He has reported from major tournaments and collaborated with leading brands, bringing a nuanced, culturally aware and authentic perspective to Hypebeast&#8217;s golf vertical.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/footer>\n<div class=\"sponsored-content row\">\n<div class=\"aftercontent-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"aftercontent-clipper\">\n<div class=\"aftercontent-inner\">\n            <!-- Tag ID: HBENGLOB_BTF_AFTERCONTENT --><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-article adunit sticky-post aftercontent\" data-freestar-ad=\"__300x250\" data-adunit=\"HBENGLOB_BTF_AFTERCONTENT\" data-targeting=\"{&quot;HBSiteLoc&quot;:[&quot;ros&quot;,&quot;article&quot;],&quot;HBSiteCat&quot;:[&quot;features&quot;,&quot;golf&quot;,&quot;melin-brand&quot;,&quot;hypegolf&quot;,&quot;us-open-golf&quot;,&quot;jake-knapp&quot;,&quot;lifestyle&quot;],&quot;HBSitePage&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;HBSiteLang&quot;:&quot;en&quot;,&quot;country&quot;:&quot;ro&quot;,&quot;region&quot;:&quot;emea&quot;,&quot;subRegion&quot;:&quot;europe&quot;,&quot;HBArticle&quot;:6738507,&quot;HBBlacklist&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-upper\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-category d-none d-lg-block\">\n<p>    Golf\n                                                                                                    <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-published d-none d-lg-block\">\n                                                                                                                    <time>Jun 17, 2026<\/time><\/p><\/div>\n<ul class=\"post-body-sidebar-hype-comments-container list-unstyled d-none d-lg-block\">\n<li>\n<p>                <span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             683<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\">\n                    <span>Views<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n                                                                                                                                <span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span class=\"icon icon-comment\"><\/span><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-sm-inline text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>            <span class=\"bookmark-icon\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"bookmark-svg\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><br \/>\n            <span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-author d-none d-lg-block\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n        <span class=\"presented-by\">Presented by<br \/>\n                            melin<br \/>\n                    <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-share d-none d-lg-block\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-category d-none d-lg-block\">\n<p>    Golf\n                                                                                                    <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-published d-none d-lg-block\">\n                                                                                                                    <time>Jun 17, 2026<\/time><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-author d-none d-lg-block\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n        <span class=\"presented-by\">Presented by<br \/>\n                            melin<br \/>\n                    <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-share d-none d-lg-block\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<article class=\"post-body-article\">\n<div class=\"post-gallery-container small inner-media\">\n<div class=\"gallery-container post-gallery-contain\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"The Laid-Back Mindset Behind Jake Knapp&apos;s Rise\">\n<div class=\"hb-gallery before-booted full-screen-enabled only-one-cell \" data-images=\"[{&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_caption&quot;:null,&quot;small&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?w=480&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;medium&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?w=720&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;large&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;xlarge&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;,&quot;full&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?w=1440&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&quot;},&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/06\/16\/jake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Jake Knapp PGA Tour golfer interview on style mindset and golf&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1280,&quot;height&quot;:853,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;melin&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;creditKey&quot;:&quot;general&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;annotations&quot;:null,&quot;shop&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:null,&quot;label&quot;:&quot;Shop Now&quot;}}]\" role=\"list\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell landscape\" data-gallery-index=\"1\" role=\"listitem\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-inner-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"carousel-cell-image-wrapper annotation-container fixed-ratio-3-2\">\n<p>                                                                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"carousel-cell-image\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-1.jpg?q=90&amp;w=800&amp;cbr=1&amp;fit=max\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" alt=\"Jake Knapp PGA Tour golfer interview on style mindset and golf\"><\/p><\/div>\n<p>                        <span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"sprite-gallery-expand\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"gallery-meta-container credit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"spacer\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"credit \">Melin<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"post-body-top-bar\" class=\"post-body-top-bar d-block d-lg-none\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\">\n                                                    <span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Golf<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><br \/>\n                                                                <span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><br \/>\n                                                                <time>Jun 17, 2026<\/time><\/p>\n<p>                                                    <\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \">\n<p>                <span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             683<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\">\n                    <span>Views<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                                                                <span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span class=\"icon icon-comment\"><\/span><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>            <span class=\"bookmark-icon\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"bookmark-svg\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><br \/>\n            <span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content\">\n<p>For decades, professional golf has rewarded a certain type of athlete. The expectation wasn\u2019t necessarily that players all looked the same, but that they presented themselves in roughly the same way. Success on the PGA TOUR often came packaged with a carefully managed image, one that rarely extended much further than golf itself.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s begun to change. A younger generation of players has arrived with interests, influences and personalities that feel shaped by a much broader set of cultural references. Some grew up immersed in skateboarding, surfing, sneakers or streetwear. Others have built audiences online that follow them as much for who they are as how they play. The result is a professional game that feels increasingly reflective of the world around it rather than isolated from it.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"inner-container\">\n<div class=\"inner-content\">\n<div class=\"adunit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"in-content-ad-outer\">\n<p><!-- Tag ID: HBENGLOB_ATF_INCONTENT --><\/p>\n<div class=\"adunit in-content lazy-load no-init\" data-freestar-ad=\"__300x250\" data-adunit=\"HBENGLOB_ATF_INCONTENT\" data-targeting=\"{&quot;HBSiteLoc&quot;:[&quot;ros&quot;,&quot;article&quot;],&quot;HBSiteCat&quot;:[&quot;features&quot;,&quot;golf&quot;,&quot;melin-brand&quot;,&quot;hypegolf&quot;,&quot;us-open-golf&quot;,&quot;jake-knapp&quot;,&quot;lifestyle&quot;],&quot;HBSitePage&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;HBSiteLang&quot;:&quot;en&quot;,&quot;country&quot;:&quot;ro&quot;,&quot;region&quot;:&quot;emea&quot;,&quot;subRegion&quot;:&quot;europe&quot;,&quot;HBArticle&quot;:6738507,&quot;HBBlacklist&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Jake Knapp is one of the more recognizable examples of that shift.\n<\/p>\n<p>Before becoming a PGA TOUR winner, Knapp was a kid growing up in Costa Mesa, California surrounded by the surf, skate and action sports culture that has long defined Orange County. Those influences are still visible today. Whether it\u2019s his laid-back demeanor, his personal style or the effortless power that has become one of his calling cards, Knapp often feels more like a Southern California athlete who happens to play golf than a golfer trying to fit a particular mold.\n<\/p>\n<p>That perspective is part of what makes his partnership with melin feel like a natural fit. Knapp\u2019s W.I.N. philosophy (short for \u201cWhat\u2019s Important Now\u201d) is built around staying present and focusing on the task directly in front of you. While the concept applies to competition, it extends beyond tournament golf and into the daily habits, routines and decisions that ultimately shape performance. It\u2019s that mindset that inspired his new W.I.N. Signature Hat with melin.\n<\/p>\n<p>We caught up with Knapp to discuss the meaning behind W.I.N., the influence of growing up in Costa Mesa, why authenticity matters more than ever and how staying true to yourself can become a competitive advantage.\n<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media bypass\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DZpsbw8gEn-\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div>\n<p>\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<p>A post shared by PGA TOUR Studios Originals (@pgatouroriginals)\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Hypegolf: Your W.I.N. philosophy stands for \u201cWhat\u2019s Important Now.\u201d What does that actually look like during a tournament week?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>Jake Knapp: For me, it\u2019s about controlling what I can control that week. On the course that\u2019s all the prep and the strategy with my caddie. But a big part of it is everything off the course\u2014getting my body moving well, eating right, getting enough rest so I\u2019ve got the energy to compete. Whatever\u2019s right in front of me, whether it\u2019s a workout or a range session or just getting to bed at a decent hour, that\u2019s the most important thing. It\u2019s not complicated, and for me it is doing the right thing right now day after day.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Golf constantly pulls players toward future outcomes. Has focusing on what\u2019s important now changed the way you compete?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a constant reminder to stay in the moment. Everyone hears \u201cone shot at a time\u201d but what\u2019s important now also includes the things you do between shots. This can be as simple as walking at the right pace and breathing the right way to stay present when the pressure is high in a tournament.\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode-slider before-booted full-screen-enabled light\" data-width=\"100%\" data-animate=\"slide\" data-slideshow data-loop data-slideshowspeed=\"7000\" data-group-cells=\"1\">\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel\">\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"1\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">1 of 3<\/span><span class=\"sprite-gallery-expand\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p>                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" class=\"portrait\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-2.jpg?w=1260&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"spacer\"><\/span><span class=\"credit\">Melin<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"2\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">2 of 3<\/span><span class=\"sprite-gallery-expand\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p>                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" class=\"portrait\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-3.jpg?w=1260&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"spacer\"><\/span><span class=\"credit\">Melin<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"3\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">3 of 3<\/span><span class=\"sprite-gallery-expand\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p>                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" class=\"portrait\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-4.jpg?w=1260&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"spacer\"><\/span><span class=\"credit\">Melin<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>You grew up in Costa Mesa surrounded by surf, skate and action sports culture. How much has that influenced the way you approach golf and personal style?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>A lot. Growing up in Costa Mesa definitely helped shape a lot of my interests, which in turn has helped me become who I am. I probably look more like a SoCal kid who surfs and skates than plays golf, but I just try to be myself and bring a little bit of where I come from to my style while not taking myself too seriously.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Your swing produces incredible speed but always looks effortless. Do you think the way you play golf reflects your personality off the course?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>Yeah I think it does. Between the ropes I\u2019m definitely competitive, but in my own way it\u2019s always rooted in my laid-back nature. I think to play your best in tournaments you need to be true to who you are.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>A lot of athletes today are building identities beyond their sport. When people think about Jake Knapp, what\u2019s something you hope they understand about you beyond golf?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>Honestly, I hope they just see a normal dude from Costa Mesa who\u2019s living the dream. I\u2019m incredibly blessed to do what I love for a living, but I haven\u2019t really changed anything \u2013 same people around me, same place I\u2019m from, same guy. I think staying grounded and being good to the people who helped get you here matters and that\u2019s what I\u2019d want people to take away.\n<\/p>\n<p><em>The conversation around W.I.N. extends beyond the interview. Working alongside melin, Knapp helped create a personalized version of the brand\u2019s Odysea silhouette built around the philosophy that has guided both his golf career and life away from the course.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n<p><em>Shop the melin x Jake Knapp W.I.N. Signature Hat at melin.com.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"show-article\">\n<p>                                                            Read Full Article<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<footer>\n<div class=\"related-stories-main-wrapper\">\n<h3>Related Stories<\/h3>\n<div class=\"stories-container\" data-layer-list-name=\"related_stories\" data-layer-list-offset=\"0\" data-layer-list-child-selector=\".story-item\">\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6741239\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\">\n                                                                            <span>&gt;<\/span>Don Toliver Extends &#8216;OCTANE&#8217; Tour: Everything We Loved in Music This Week\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6740533\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\">\n                                                                            <span>&gt;<\/span>Curry Barker, Horror&#8217;s New King, Hates Cheap Jump Scares\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6743040\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\">\n                                                                            <span>&gt;<\/span>Stagnancy Is SWAVAY\u2019s Biggest Enemy\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-email-signup-wrapper impression-tracker\">\n<h3>We got you covered. Don\u2019t miss out on the latest news by signing up for our newsletters.<\/h3>\n<div class=\"widget-newsletter-form\">\n<div class=\"hb-input-group\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"errors\">\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"terms\">By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-author d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n        <span class=\"presented-by\">Presented by<br \/>\n                            melin<br \/>\n                    <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-share d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content-tags\">\n<div class=\"body collapsed\">\n<p>    Melin BrandHypegolfUS Open GolfJake Knapp\n                                                            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"teads-adcall\"><\/div>\n<div data-adunit=\"HBENGLOB_BTF_POLL\" class=\"adunit ad-poll\" data-freestar-ad=\"__1x1 __2x2\" data-targeting=\"{&quot;HBSiteLoc&quot;:[&quot;category&quot;,&quot;ros&quot;],&quot;HBSiteCat&quot;:[&quot;jake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy&quot;],&quot;HBSitePage&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;HBSiteLang&quot;:&quot;en&quot;,&quot;country&quot;:&quot;ro&quot;,&quot;region&quot;:&quot;emea&quot;,&quot;subRegion&quot;:&quot;europe&quot;,&quot;adPosition&quot;:[&quot;bottom&quot;],&quot;sortable&quot;:&quot;false&quot;}\"><\/div>\n<section class=\"post__body__author_info\">\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__inner\">\n<p>                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F05%2Fjulius-300.jpg?w=100&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt=\"Julius Oppenheimer\" class=\"post__body__author_info__avatar\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__body\">\n<p>                    Julius Oppenheimer<\/p>\n<p>                                    <span class=\"post__body__author_info__title\">Senior Editor, Hypegolf<\/span>\n                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post__body__author_info__bio_wrapper\">\n<p class=\"post__body__author_info__bio\">Julius Oppenheimer is an editor focused on the intersection of golf, sport and culture. His work explores how the game is evolving through style, storytelling and the people shaping its future. He has reported from major tournaments and collaborated with leading brands, bringing a nuanced, culturally aware and authentic perspective to Hypebeast&#8217;s golf vertical.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/footer>\n<div class=\"sponsored-content row\">\n<div class=\"aftercontent-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"aftercontent-clipper\">\n<div class=\"aftercontent-inner\">\n            <!-- Tag ID: HBENGLOB_BTF_AFTERCONTENT --><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-article adunit sticky-post aftercontent\" data-freestar-ad=\"__300x250\" data-adunit=\"HBENGLOB_BTF_AFTERCONTENT\" data-targeting=\"{&quot;HBSiteLoc&quot;:[&quot;ros&quot;,&quot;article&quot;],&quot;HBSiteCat&quot;:[&quot;features&quot;,&quot;golf&quot;,&quot;melin-brand&quot;,&quot;hypegolf&quot;,&quot;us-open-golf&quot;,&quot;jake-knapp&quot;,&quot;lifestyle&quot;],&quot;HBSitePage&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;HBSiteLang&quot;:&quot;en&quot;,&quot;country&quot;:&quot;ro&quot;,&quot;region&quot;:&quot;emea&quot;,&quot;subRegion&quot;:&quot;europe&quot;,&quot;HBArticle&quot;:6738507,&quot;HBBlacklist&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div id=\"post-body-top-bar\" class=\"post-body-top-bar d-block d-lg-none\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\">\n                                                    <span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Golf<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><br \/>\n                                                                <span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><br \/>\n                                                                <time>Jun 17, 2026<\/time><\/p>\n<p>                                                    <\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \">\n<p>                <span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             683<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\">\n                    <span>Views<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                                                                <span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span class=\"icon icon-comment\"><\/span><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>            <span class=\"bookmark-icon\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"bookmark-svg\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><br \/>\n            <span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\">\n                                                    <span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Golf<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><br \/>\n                                                                <span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><br \/>\n                                                                <time>Jun 17, 2026<\/time><\/p>\n<p>                                                    <\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\">\n                                                    <span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Golf<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><br \/>\n                                                                <span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><br \/>\n                                                                <time>Jun 17, 2026<\/time><\/p>\n<p>                                                    <\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \">\n<p>                <span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             683<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\">\n                    <span>Views<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                                                                <span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span class=\"icon icon-comment\"><\/span><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-arrow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>            <span class=\"bookmark-icon\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"bookmark-svg\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><br \/>\n            <span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content\">\n<p>For decades, professional golf has rewarded a certain type of athlete. The expectation wasn\u2019t necessarily that players all looked the same, but that they presented themselves in roughly the same way. Success on the PGA TOUR often came packaged with a carefully managed image, one that rarely extended much further than golf itself.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s begun to change. A younger generation of players has arrived with interests, influences and personalities that feel shaped by a much broader set of cultural references. Some grew up immersed in skateboarding, surfing, sneakers or streetwear. Others have built audiences online that follow them as much for who they are as how they play. The result is a professional game that feels increasingly reflective of the world around it rather than isolated from it.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"inner-container\">\n<div class=\"inner-content\">\n<div class=\"adunit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"in-content-ad-outer\">\n<p><!-- Tag ID: HBENGLOB_ATF_INCONTENT --><\/p>\n<div class=\"adunit in-content lazy-load no-init\" data-freestar-ad=\"__300x250\" data-adunit=\"HBENGLOB_ATF_INCONTENT\" data-targeting=\"{&quot;HBSiteLoc&quot;:[&quot;ros&quot;,&quot;article&quot;],&quot;HBSiteCat&quot;:[&quot;features&quot;,&quot;golf&quot;,&quot;melin-brand&quot;,&quot;hypegolf&quot;,&quot;us-open-golf&quot;,&quot;jake-knapp&quot;,&quot;lifestyle&quot;],&quot;HBSitePage&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;HBSiteLang&quot;:&quot;en&quot;,&quot;country&quot;:&quot;ro&quot;,&quot;region&quot;:&quot;emea&quot;,&quot;subRegion&quot;:&quot;europe&quot;,&quot;HBArticle&quot;:6738507,&quot;HBBlacklist&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Jake Knapp is one of the more recognizable examples of that shift.\n<\/p>\n<p>Before becoming a PGA TOUR winner, Knapp was a kid growing up in Costa Mesa, California surrounded by the surf, skate and action sports culture that has long defined Orange County. Those influences are still visible today. Whether it\u2019s his laid-back demeanor, his personal style or the effortless power that has become one of his calling cards, Knapp often feels more like a Southern California athlete who happens to play golf than a golfer trying to fit a particular mold.\n<\/p>\n<p>That perspective is part of what makes his partnership with melin feel like a natural fit. Knapp\u2019s W.I.N. philosophy (short for \u201cWhat\u2019s Important Now\u201d) is built around staying present and focusing on the task directly in front of you. While the concept applies to competition, it extends beyond tournament golf and into the daily habits, routines and decisions that ultimately shape performance. It\u2019s that mindset that inspired his new W.I.N. Signature Hat with melin.\n<\/p>\n<p>We caught up with Knapp to discuss the meaning behind W.I.N., the influence of growing up in Costa Mesa, why authenticity matters more than ever and how staying true to yourself can become a competitive advantage.\n<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media bypass\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DZpsbw8gEn-\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div>\n<p>\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<p>A post shared by PGA TOUR Studios Originals (@pgatouroriginals)\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Hypegolf: Your W.I.N. philosophy stands for \u201cWhat\u2019s Important Now.\u201d What does that actually look like during a tournament week?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>Jake Knapp: For me, it\u2019s about controlling what I can control that week. On the course that\u2019s all the prep and the strategy with my caddie. But a big part of it is everything off the course\u2014getting my body moving well, eating right, getting enough rest so I\u2019ve got the energy to compete. Whatever\u2019s right in front of me, whether it\u2019s a workout or a range session or just getting to bed at a decent hour, that\u2019s the most important thing. It\u2019s not complicated, and for me it is doing the right thing right now day after day.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Golf constantly pulls players toward future outcomes. Has focusing on what\u2019s important now changed the way you compete?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a constant reminder to stay in the moment. Everyone hears \u201cone shot at a time\u201d but what\u2019s important now also includes the things you do between shots. This can be as simple as walking at the right pace and breathing the right way to stay present when the pressure is high in a tournament.\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode-slider before-booted full-screen-enabled light\" data-width=\"100%\" data-animate=\"slide\" data-slideshow data-loop data-slideshowspeed=\"7000\" data-group-cells=\"1\">\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel\">\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"1\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">1 of 3<\/span><span class=\"sprite-gallery-expand\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p>                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" class=\"portrait\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-2.jpg?w=1260&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"spacer\"><\/span><span class=\"credit\">Melin<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"2\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">2 of 3<\/span><span class=\"sprite-gallery-expand\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p>                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" class=\"portrait\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-3.jpg?w=1260&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"spacer\"><\/span><span class=\"credit\">Melin<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"3\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">3 of 3<\/span><span class=\"sprite-gallery-expand\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p>                                    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" class=\"portrait\" src=\"https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-4.jpg?w=1260&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max\" alt><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"spacer\"><\/span><span class=\"credit\">Melin<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>You grew up in Costa Mesa surrounded by surf, skate and action sports culture. How much has that influenced the way you approach golf and personal style?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>A lot. Growing up in Costa Mesa definitely helped shape a lot of my interests, which in turn has helped me become who I am. I probably look more like a SoCal kid who surfs and skates than plays golf, but I just try to be myself and bring a little bit of where I come from to my style while not taking myself too seriously.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Your swing produces incredible speed but always looks effortless. Do you think the way you play golf reflects your personality off the course?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>Yeah I think it does. Between the ropes I\u2019m definitely competitive, but in my own way it\u2019s always rooted in my laid-back nature. I think to play your best in tournaments you need to be true to who you are.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>A lot of athletes today are building identities beyond their sport. When people think about Jake Knapp, what\u2019s something you hope they understand about you beyond golf?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>Honestly, I hope they just see a normal dude from Costa Mesa who\u2019s living the dream. I\u2019m incredibly blessed to do what I love for a living, but I haven\u2019t really changed anything \u2013 same people around me, same place I\u2019m from, same guy. I think staying grounded and being good to the people who helped get you here matters and that\u2019s what I\u2019d want people to take away.\n<\/p>\n<p><em>The conversation around W.I.N. extends beyond the interview. Working alongside melin, Knapp helped create a personalized version of the brand\u2019s Odysea silhouette built around the philosophy that has guided both his golf career and life away from the course.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n<p><em>Shop the melin x Jake Knapp W.I.N. Signature Hat at melin.com.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"show-article\">\n<p>                                                            Read Full Article<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-author d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n        <span class=\"presented-by\">Presented by<br \/>\n                            melin<br \/>\n                    <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-share d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content-tags\">\n<div class=\"body collapsed\">\n<p>    Melin BrandHypegolfUS Open GolfJake Knapp\n                                                            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/2026\/6\/jake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F06%2F16%2Fjake-knapp-interview-melin-win-philosophy-tw.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&#8221;] Golf Jun 17, 2026 683 Views 0\u00a0Comments Comments Save Presented by melin Share this article Melin Golf Jun 17, 2026 683 Views 0\u00a0Comments Comments Save For decades, professional golf has rewarded a certain type of athlete. The expectation wasn\u2019t necessarily that players all looked the same, but that they presented themselves in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,39],"class_list":["post-2012831","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-hypebeast-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2012831","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2012831"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2012831\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2012831"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2012831"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2012831"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}