PGA Tour pro Jake Knapp’s girlfriend Makena White revealed she was experiencing heart problems prior to her tragic death earlier this week.
The 28-year-old’s passing was announced on Instagram earlier this week by a close friend.
White’s social media in the months prior to her death revealed several references to an unspecified heart problem.
In June she uploaded an image of her watching Knapp’s US Open qualifying tournament with the caption: “We’re dialled #GolfsLongestDay.”
But White then followed up with an image of her heart rate shown on her smart watch at 133bpm, captioned: “(By dialled I mean tachycardic) #golfslongestday.”
Tachycardia is classified as an excessively fast heart rate, generally classified in adults as being above 100bpm.
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The medical sales representative shared the month prior that she herself used a form of heart monitoring equipment.
She uploaded a picture of herself in May captioned: “The irony of being at a cardiac surgery conference (for my job) while wearing a holter monitor for your own heart defect is pretty funny.”
The cause of her death has not been confirmed following her sudden passing, announced in an emotional statement uploaded to her Instagram account.
The statement read “Hi everyone – this is Makena’s friend, writing with the heaviest heart to share that Makena passed away earlier this week.
“She is already so deeply missed by her Dad, her family, her friends, and of course by Nelly and Fergie.
“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.
“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.
“We love you Mak. We’ll miss you always, and we’ll be looking for you in the sunset.”
White was an Ottawa native who graduated from McMaster University with degrees in communications and software engineering in 2019.
She was also an avid fan of her local hockey team the Ottawa Senators.
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White and Knapp, ranked 80th in the world, had been dating for the last two years.
They went public with their relationship following his first PGA Tour win at the Mexico Open in 2024.
Knapp, 31, opened up on the loss, saying: “Makena was such a thoughtful person whose selflessness toward others is something I will always appreciate.
“We shared so many unforgettable memories together and now that she’s no longer with us, it’s a tough reality to comprehend.
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“She had an incredible family, great friends, and her fun, outgoing energy will be missed by all of us.
“It’s an understatement to say how hard all of this is to process for everyone who knew Mak, especially her family and friends, who deserve privacy and respect during this difficult time.”
