The 26-year-old PGA Tour rookie (and self-proclaimed die-hard New York Knicks fan) was up late watching the team's historic Game 1 choke job against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden in the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday night.

The Knicks' epic collapse to the Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals inspired at least one professional athlete to see his job all the way through.

John Pak said there was "a fire lit under me" after the Knicks' loss to the Pacers, and the PGA Tour rookie shot a 7-under 63 to lead the Charles Schwab Challenge.

The New York Knicks' stunning loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday night left many fans upset. But one PGA Tour pro, at least, was able to use that pain as fuel to do something good on Day 1 of the Charles Schwab Challenge.

John Pak, who happens to be a diehard New York Knicks fan, used his team's gut-wrenching loss to the Indiana Pacers to fuel his solid start.

John Pak was inspired by his New York Knicks' epic collapse against the Indiana Pacers, as he stormed into the lead at the Charles Schwab Challenge on Thursday

Scottie Scheffler and John Pak enjoyed the same start to the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial with eagles on their respective first holes. The world No. 1 couldn't keep up with the PGA Tour rookie from there.

Knicks fans were obviously less than thrilled with what the team forced them to endure after the Pacers staged a comeback for the ages in Game 1 on

Get to know more about John Pak's caddie on the PGA Tour, Billy Narut and the story behind their on-course relationship which began in 2020