Golfer Jake Nepp mourns the loss of his girlfriend Mackenzie White, who passed away before the 2025 Ryder Cup
26 september 2025 в 23:28
Professional golfer Jake Nepp mourns the loss of his late girlfriend Makena White, who passed away shortly before the 2025 Ryder Cup, in which Nepp is not participating. White was only 28 years old. A friend of White posted the shocking news of her death on his Instagram page on September 26, 2025.
«Hello everyone — this is Makena’s friend, writing with the heaviest heart to share that Makena passed away last week», - the caption read. «She is deeply missed by her dad, family, friends, and of course, Nelly and Fergie».
Describing White as «irreplaceable», - her friend added that «she had this rare way of making you feel special, and her huge heart was always full of love».
«Being loved by Makena was a gift; it brought endless laughter, so much joy, and a healthy dose of chaos as we tried to keep up with her travel schedule».
CBS Sports correspondent Amanda Balionis expressed her condolences under the Instagram post. She wrote: «Meeting Makena was one of my favorite parts of this year. So much laughter, passion, and she never met a stranger. I will miss her light… it touched so many».
Below, we will discuss what we know so far about White, her relationship with Nepp, and her untimely death.
Originally from Ottawa, Ontario, White worked in surgical sales, providing equipment to vascular and cardiothoracic surgeons, according to the Daily Mail. She studied communications and software engineering at McMaster University.
Although her interest in golf grew thanks to her boyfriend, White was also a devoted fan of the Ottawa Senators hockey team.
Nepp and White began dating around 2023, but she didn’t make it official on Instagram until the following year with a playful post.
«Is it still a hard launch if NBC saw it first?» she captioned her post in March 2024 alongside a photo with the golfer.
During their time together, White regularly shared supportive messages on Instagram and cute photos of her boyfriend, playfully including the term «Nepp time» in some of her captions.
The cause of White’s death was not disclosed at the time of publication. A note under her friend’s Instagram post indicated that supporters could make donations to two brain health organizations.
«If you would like to honor Makena’s memory, donations to the Bruyère Memory and Brain Health Clinic or the Griffin Bell Fund will mean so much», - the caption read. «We love you, Makena. We will always miss you and will look for you at sunset».
The Griffin Bell Fund was established in honor of a child named Griffin Bell, who died from neuroblastoma in 2024; Bruyère is a clinic in White’s hometown of Ottawa, Canada, specializing in cognitive disorders, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Naturally, fans wondered if mentions of the clinic and fund indicated that White had brain issues, illness, or injury. However, details of her health were not made public. Speculations surrounding her death are unfounded
«Hello everyone — this is Makena’s friend, writing with the heaviest heart to share that Makena passed away last week», - the caption read. «She is deeply missed by her dad, family, friends, and of course, Nelly and Fergie».
Describing White as «irreplaceable», - her friend added that «she had this rare way of making you feel special, and her huge heart was always full of love».
«Being loved by Makena was a gift; it brought endless laughter, so much joy, and a healthy dose of chaos as we tried to keep up with her travel schedule».
CBS Sports correspondent Amanda Balionis expressed her condolences under the Instagram post. She wrote: «Meeting Makena was one of my favorite parts of this year. So much laughter, passion, and she never met a stranger. I will miss her light… it touched so many».
Below, we will discuss what we know so far about White, her relationship with Nepp, and her untimely death.
Originally from Ottawa, Ontario, White worked in surgical sales, providing equipment to vascular and cardiothoracic surgeons, according to the Daily Mail. She studied communications and software engineering at McMaster University.
Although her interest in golf grew thanks to her boyfriend, White was also a devoted fan of the Ottawa Senators hockey team.
Nepp and White began dating around 2023, but she didn’t make it official on Instagram until the following year with a playful post.
«Is it still a hard launch if NBC saw it first?» she captioned her post in March 2024 alongside a photo with the golfer.
During their time together, White regularly shared supportive messages on Instagram and cute photos of her boyfriend, playfully including the term «Nepp time» in some of her captions.
The cause of White’s death was not disclosed at the time of publication. A note under her friend’s Instagram post indicated that supporters could make donations to two brain health organizations.
«If you would like to honor Makena’s memory, donations to the Bruyère Memory and Brain Health Clinic or the Griffin Bell Fund will mean so much», - the caption read. «We love you, Makena. We will always miss you and will look for you at sunset».
The Griffin Bell Fund was established in honor of a child named Griffin Bell, who died from neuroblastoma in 2024; Bruyère is a clinic in White’s hometown of Ottawa, Canada, specializing in cognitive disorders, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Naturally, fans wondered if mentions of the clinic and fund indicated that White had brain issues, illness, or injury. However, details of her health were not made public. Speculations surrounding her death are unfounded
© Artemenko Olga
