Nick Dunlap made PGA Tour history Sunday, becoming the first amateur in 33 years to win on tour by capturing the American Express in La Quinta, California. He trailed five-time tour winner and Ryder Cup veteran Sam Burns on the back nine before rallying on the final three holes to finish 29-under. Here’s what you need to know:
- Dunlap, 20, is a sophomore at Alabama. Becoming the first player since Phil Mickelson in 1991 to win on the PGA Tour before turning pro, Dunlap has a two-year exemption from the tour’s biggest events when he decides to leave college golf. After winning the US Amateur last year, he is already eligible for all four majors in 2024.
- Dunlap and Burns were tied going to the par-3 17th, but Dunlap put his tee shot on the green and watched Burns find the water and finish with double bogey.
- Dunlap shot a 60 in the third round Saturday to take a three-shot lead over Burns and a four-shot lead over Justin Thomas early Sunday, then shot a 70 Sunday to win the tournament.
What happened
Dunlap had a three-stroke lead coming into the par-4 seventh hole, which features a forced carry off the tee. Unfortunately, the amateur hit the water with his first tee shot – he knew it right away, letting the club go on his backswing. He had to fall, lay down and had a 15 foot bogey that he couldn’t scare the cup on. When Burns birdied the same hole, it created a tie and allowed most of the rest of the top 10 to feel like they were back in this thing. Burns took the lead with birdies on 10 and 11.
So for much of the last nine Sundays it looked like Dunlap’s story would be that of a young player with enormous promise coming up just a little short against a certified star like Burns. But Dunlap’s father told Golf Channel in an on-course interview that his son might have enough to take back the lead, and he was right. A birdie on the par-5 16th moved Dunlap to 29-under and a tie with Burns, sending the duo (Thomas had fallen off the pace) to No. 17 for a two-hole shootout. It didn’t take long to find Victor.
Birdie on 16 to equalize the lead!
Twenty-year-old amateur Nick Dunlap continues to impress.
@PGATOURU | @TheAmExGolf pic.twitter.com/7OZpzWhIUF— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 21, 2024
Burns, who had no bogeys in his final 24 holes, missed the island green on Pete Dye’s Stadium Course right, splashing into the water. He had to make a drop, then two putts to fall two points out of the lead. Meanwhile, Dunlap looked like the veteran in finding the green and two-putting for par.
Burns then put his tee shot on 18 into the water left of the fairway and doubled the hole, finishing in sixth place.
Dunlap missed the fairway (a frequent occurrence Sunday) but his approach game was once again top-notch, staying to the right and away from the water. His second shot took him to the green, and his third rolled to within six feet of the hole. He dropped the putt into the cup, let it go with a punch, then hugged his caddy, his family and his girlfriend.
Christian Bezuidenhout finished second at 28-under after shooting a 65 in the final round.
What does this mean for Dunlap
Here’s the historical part: In addition to the Mickelson connection, Dunlap is also the second youngest person to win on the PGA Tour since World War II (Jordan Spieth is the first) and the first reigning U.S. Amateur champion since Tiger Woods in 1996 win on the PGA Tour. Mickelson, Spieth and Tiger? Pretty good company.
Nick Dunlap has a real chance this weekend to be the next amateur to win a Tour event. This generation of Aberg, Surratt, Sargent, Dunlap and MW Lee is the youngest and most talented group of players I have ever seen and will be a strength for decades.
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) January 20, 2024
Dunlap, who is 20 years and 29 days old, is not automatically forced to turn pro to maintain the privileges of his victory, although under his amateur status he lost the $1.51 million sum intended for the winner of the American Express.
Regardless of when he removes the (a) from his name in the rankings, Dunlap is a big shot who solidified his status as a rising star in professional golf this weekend. It was one thing to shoot 64-65-60 in the first three days of the tournament, playing with a very small grandstand in tow. On Sunday he was with Burns and Thomas in the final round, with all that entails. Even when he wasn’t making putts and wasn’t settling for pars in the first 15 holes, he never seemed shaken, focusing on the self-confidence techniques that he made a priority in preparing for his round.
“Hitting that ball into the water on 7 tested everything I had,” Dunlap told The Golf Channel.
Mandatory reading
(Top photo by Nick Dunlap: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
