As Jake Knapp waited for his flight at the LAX airport to return to Mexico Open’25 as a defending champion, his girlfriend, Makena White, started to search her bag frantically. Apparently, she had misplaced her passport and thought about it at 4 am, right before their flight. When the call came, Knapp had to leave her there. Meanwhile, all the 28-year-old could think of doing was crying. She finally returned to Knapp’s California house to wait for someone to find the passport. As she got it after a few hours of reaching out to the who’s who, she flew straight to Vidanta World and gave Knapp a big hug. If you’re wondering why the trip was so important, there’s a reason.

You see, a year ago, when the Californian swept his maiden PGA Tour win at the Mexico Open, the couple was hard launched by NBC. Although he couldn’t defend his title again, his story with the medical sales rep won once again. After the tournament, White took to her Instagram and wrote a heartfelt post for the young golfer on August 10: “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!” Unfortunately, those became her final public words to Knapp.

Makena White, at the age of just 28, passed away earlier this week. While the details of her sudden death have not been revealed yet, her close friend posted the news on White’s Instagram account alongside a picture of a glowing Makena smiling through the camera. “Hi everyone – this is Makena’s friend, writing with the heaviest heart to share that Makena passed away earlier this week,” the post began. “She is already so deeply missed by her dad, her family, her friends, and of course by Nelly and Fergie,” the caption further read. As expected, several people commented on the post, including Amanda Balionis.

“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💛💛”. Although not fast friends, Balionis and Makena knew each other since the latter became a regular presence on golfing courses to support Knapp. In fact, the two had quite a chemistry together, as was revealed by one of their online interactions in June.

During the Masters, as the journalist sat down to take her usual post-round interview with Jake Knapp, her phone buzzed suddenly. Apparently, White had tagged Balionis in an Instagram story with an unusual request. “Ask him if he has a crush on me @amanda.” Of course, Balionis did not go ahead and instead simply responded to her story, saying, “Took all of my self-control to not ask about the mandatory toast consumption 😂” But this wasn’t it.

White had made all the reporters, announcers, WAGs of other golfers, and everyone her friend. As Balionis wrote, she never really met a stranger because she would break the ice very quickly with everyone. As further coined by White’s friend in the heartfelt tribute, “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.”

As a person who herself claimed that nothing went as planned in her life, White was one of the most relatable people everyone knew. But when it came to it, she was also one of the most jolly people, making everyone laugh and feel visible. And for Knapp, she was his biggest cheerleader. From being his shadow in every tournament to making her family wear “Knapp Time” t-shirts, White made sure the golfer knew she had his back. And now, as he has to say an early goodbye to her, he couldn’t help but reflect on who she was as a person.

“Makena was such a thoughtful person whose selflessness toward others is something I will always appreciate,” After her demise, Knapp told People magazine. “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. 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.”

Although she was always present to cheer on Knapp, she had a busy work life herself. Since her childhood days, her knack for being a leader has helped her stand out in her school and college. She graduated with an Honors degree in Communication and Software Engineering in 2019. After her degree, she took on multiple jobs. But gradually, she pivoted towards the medical field. According to her LinkedIn, White was a Sales Representative who worked for LeMaitre Vascular. 

Makena often described her role as “caring for the patients” and working to “change their lives for the better”. And as she confessed, it was her dream job. But outside of her girlfriend duties and job, she was a lot more.

Like Jake, Makena was also a sports enthusiast. She always played golf with her father as a kid, but stopped playing for some time. When she resumed with her father again, she tweeted, “I was a good little golfer as a kid. But from 16-21 I picked up a club maybe 5x total, I had no interest. Now here I am at 23, obsessed with the sport again & today I got my 1st set of ‘big kid’ clubs. Can’t wipe the smile off my face.”

Now, these little moments will be the ones that everyone will miss the most with White. Her last post by the friend also read: “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 💛”. Notably, this is the same clinic where was mother, Crystal, was treated before she passed away in 2022 after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. To celebrate White’s spirit, donations are encouraged to the same clinic. And soon, everyone poured out their hearts to White’s close ones.

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Tributes pour in for Makena White’s untimely death

Other than Amanda Balionis, there were many others who commented on Makena White’s post. Golf insider Dan Rapaport shared Balionis’ sentiments and said, “What a light she was…❤️”. Another commenter, likely a friend of White, wrote, “The saddest news to hear, she will be missed by many, she always brought a smile to my face when I’d see her ❤️❤️❤️”. Another friend wrote, “I will never forget the day I met this gorgeous, vivacious girl. The day she and my daughter became roommates and started what Mak called their 8-month sleepover. I adored her from that first moment of meeting. We are blessed to have shared in your light and love. You will be missed beyond measure.”

A personality like hers, she surely left an indelible mark on many, as her professor wrote: “So sorry … a great student of mine. She kept me smiling and laughing.” The PGA Tour-affiliated podcast Birdie Little Secrets also dropped a comment on the post saying, “We are so devastated. Makena was not just a guest on the podcast but a good friend. We will miss her light and her incredible way she made everyone around her feel so loved ❤️” They also posted Makena’s picture on their official account, calling her a “friend we’ll never forget”.

These are just some of the comments, but a reminder of how the young girl made a difference. As the world gets to know of Makena’s death, one can only hope for the young soul to get some peace.