Nick Dunlap's Unprecedented Journey & What Lies Ahead

A Historic Achievement

What a great win by 20-year-old Nick Dunlap, who accomplished a feat that many think can't be done anymore: win on the PGA Tour as an amateur. Dunlap becomes the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson in 1991. He is only the ninth amateur winner since 1945 – and only the third in the last 68 years:

Here are the Amateurs that have won on the PGA Tour since World War II:

Nick Dunlap, 2024 The American Express
Phil Mickelson, 1991 Northern Telecom Open
Scott Verplank, 1985 BMW Championship
Doug Sanders, 1956 RBC Canadian Open
Gene Littler, 1954 Farmers Insurance Open
Frank Stranahan, 1948 Miami Open
Frank Stranahan, 1945 Durham War Bond Tournament
Cary Middlecoff, 1945 North & South Championship
Fred Haas, 1945 Memphis Invitational

Dunlap, the current U.S. Amateur Champion and a sophomore at Alabama, was playing in just his fourth PGA Tour event and it was the first time he made the cut (missed cut 2023 & 2022 U.S. Open, 2023 Bermuda championship). Playing on a sponsor's exemption, he won the American Express by a shot over Christiaan Bezuidenhout. He won the U.S.Amateur five months ago in Denver and is the fourth reigning U.S. Amateur champion to also win on the PGA Tour, joining Mickelson, Gene Littler, and Scott Verplank. That isn't the only prestigious amateur event he won; he also claimed victory in the 2021 U.S. Junior Amateur to join Tiger Woods as the only player to win a U.S. Amateur and U.S. Junior Amateur. Dunlap also won the 2023 Northeast Amateur and North & South Amateur, plus helped the USA retain the Walker Cup at St. Andrews. 

Despite only turning 20 last month, Dunlap showed a maturity well past his age. After opening with rounds of 64-65, he shot a 12-under 60 at La Quinta Country Club, tying for the lowest 18-hole score by an amateur in a PGA Tour event (Patrick Cantlay shot 60 at the 2011 Travelers). That brought on a pressure he had never experienced before. He went into the final round of a PGA Tour event with a three-shot lead. So he was going to play in front of an extensive gallery and play along with the best players in the world. Dunlap played his first six holes in one under but hit his tee shot into the water on the seventh hole, leading to a double bogey. His playing partner Sam Burns made birdie on the hole to share the lead. Burns wasn't through; he birdied 10, 11, and 14 to take the lead. But instead of panicking, Dunlap birdied his next hole and then 14 and 16 to tie with Burns. At par 3, island green, called Alcatraz, after Dunlap safely hit the middle of the green, Burns hit a terrible shot that found the water and made a double bogey. Thinking he had a two-shot lead, Dunlap pushed his drive right on 18 while Christiaan Bezuidenhout made a birdie at 18. Dunlap again showed off his maturity to get his second shot just off the final green and make a 5-footer for par and a one-shot victory.

Dunlap’s Dilemma: The Decision to Stay Amateur

Just like that, Dunlap finds himself with a great decision that not many others have. Yes, Dunlap wasn't going to get the $1.5 million first-place check, but he can now not only play in all PGA Tour events through 2026 but also get into all the signature events and play in all the majors. The good news is that he was already exempt into the Masters, the U.S. Open, and the British Open based on his U.S. Amateur triumph. But if he stays an amateur, he can play as an amateur and participate in college events for Alabama. Of course, the money is there right now; even if he plays poorly over the next two years, he would probably be able to win half a million, and that doesn't include deals made as a professional. This is an easy decision for many: take the money and run. I think that Dunlap will remain an amateur and play in the Masters, U.S., and British Open as an amateur. He will also get to play in the NCAA Championship and could play in several PGA Tour events. The most prestigious thing he could accomplish is being the first amateur to win a major in 91 years since Johnny Goodman won the U.S. Open in 1933. He could also be the first to win back-to-back Amateurs since Tiger Woods won his third in a row in 1996.

Dunlap's decision is a fascinating one to watch. With a summer of amateur glory and potential pro perks on the horizon, I wouldn't be surprised if he opts to delay joining the big leagues for a while. Defending his crown would be a sweet way to cap his amateur career, and who knows, maybe the professional accolades will taste even sweeter after a season spent honing his skills and soaking up the college experience. In a way, it's a challenging but fun decision to have, something that even the great Tiger Woods didn't have.

Schedule Alert

One essential item. BE AWARE: due to not wanting to play on Sunday and be up against the NFL, this year's Farmers will start on WEDNESDAY and end on Saturday. So don't miss the early start. 

Players to Watch at the Farmers

So, who are the players we are watching for this week?

The list is easy. Of course, at the top of the list is Xander Schauffele, who was T-3rd at the American Express and T-10th at the Sentry. He grew up in the La Jolla area and played a lot of golf at Torrey, so he is ready to go. Also, watch Eric Cole; he was T-14th at the Sentry, T-13th at the Sony Open, and T-21st at the Amex.  Sungjae Im could be my choice for this week; he was T-6th in 2022 and T-4th last year at the Farmers. For this year, Im was T-5th at the Sentry and T-25th at the Amex. Also, I have to watch Tony Finau, who was T-6th at the Farmers in 2020, T-2nd in 2021, and T-9th last year. Also, like Keegan Bradley, who was runner-up at the Sony losing in the playoff, he was runner-up at Torrey last year. Jason Day is also a good pick; he won in 2015 and 2018, was T-3rd in 2022, and T-7th in 2023. Ludvig Aberg is also returning on Tour; he was T-30th at the Sony and T-47th at the Sentry. We should get a good assessment of which direction he will go.

Many will go after Patrick Cantlay, but I am avoiding him. He was T-12th at the Sentry and T-52nd at the Amex, but he has struggled in three starts at Torrey and has yet to play there since 2019. Max Homa and Collin Morikawa have great records in California and have had their Torrey Pines moments, so they may be worth supporting this week.

Notable Absences: Thomas and Dunlap’s Decision

One person I was interested in was Justin Thomas, but he withdrew from the event. Since he made a 20-footer on the final hole at the Amex, which got him into Pebble Beach, he withdrew from this week to play three straight weeks at Pebble, Phoenix, and Genesis. Also, many will be disappointed that Nick Dunlap withdrew, but he has a lot on his mind and can understand that he wants to return to Alabama and get advice on the direction to go.

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