Roll Tide: Nick Dunlap joins the history books, wins the PGA Tour's American Express
21 Jan 2024
by Sean Melia of AmateurGolf.com
see also: , Nick Dunlap Profile
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Nick Dunlap (PGA Tour Photo)
Nick Dunlap is the American Express champion, becoming the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour since 1991 when Phil Mickelson conquered in the Northern Telecom in Arizona.
A win for an amateur isn’t supposed to come easy, and Dunlap, who slept on the lead after a scintillating 12-under 60 in the third round, was paired with two Ryder Cup players in the final group on Sunday. It was an up-and-down 18 holes, and in the end, Dunlap etches his name in history. He is the eighth amateur to win on the PGA Tour since World War II.
Dunlap finished at a blistering 29-under, one shot better than South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout.
It’s been an exceptional last eight months for Dunlap. He won the Northeast and The North & South in June and then won the U.S. Amateur in August. Toss in a Walker Cup victory and this PGA Tour victory and Dunlap has reason to feel like the future is bright.
He wasn’t worried about the outcome today.
“Whether I shot 75, 65, or 70,” Dunlap said after his win. “I was going to give everything I had.”
The day started smoothly for Dunlap, as he made steady pars on the first four holes before pouring in a birdie on the firth. But the three-shot lead he built appeared after making a double bogey on the seventh hole. He hit a borderline shank off the tee into the water, and Sam Burns made a birdie to erase the lead.
“If you had told me on Wednesday I would have a putt to win, I wouldn’t believe you,” Dunlap said.
However, Dunlap held strong and bounced back with a birdie on the very next hole. He ran off five straight pars, but Burns pulled ahead and put pressure on the sophomore from Alabama. However, Dunlap didn’t flinch. He made a birdie on the 14th hole to reach 28-under, staying one shot behind Burns.
“He's getting a crash course,” Alabama coach Jay Seawell said. “You know, there's no cheat sheet out here.”
The final grouping was interesting to Sewell because Justin Thomas was also in the hunt. He sees similarities between the two players.
“Both of them love to compete when they peg it in the ground. They're comfortable, they love it, They're excited about it,” Seawell said. “And both of them have it; they have a different game. They’re different builds.”
The championship DNA at Alabama is strong through the athletic department, and Dunlap has rubbed shoulders with the likes of Nick Saban, who has taken putting lessons from the U.S. Amateur Champion.
On No. 15, Dunlap’s approach pitched and hit the flag. His birdie putt skimmed past the hole. Once again, the youngster showed his perseverance; he rolled home a birdie putt on the par-5 No. 16 and pulled even with Burns at 29-under.
"It was looking bleak with five or six holes to go," said Seawell after the win. "But then it became Dunlap time."
One would think that the island green on No. 17 would look like a thimble for Dunlap, but instead, Burns crumbled and wiped his short iron right and hit it in the water. A double bogey eliminated Burns from the plot. Dunlap made an easy par, and it seemed as if the 18th would be a coronation due to the two-shot lead.
Bezuidenhout, who had been lingering all day, made a birdie on the difficult 18th hole to add more drama to the proceedings. From the right rough, Dunlap lashed his shot to the right side of the green. He didn’t know he had a one-shot lead, and just wanted to avoid the water on the left side of the green.
As his 8-foot par putt rolled into the center of the cup, Dunlap let out a triumphant scream.
Over the course of the day, the phrase “Pressure is a privilege” was uttered many times. It’s a phrase that has helped Dunlap enjoy the moment and win massive events, even when things become challenging.
Now, after dealing with the pressure, Dunlap has a big decision to make - remain an amateur or turn professional and take advantage of the PGA Tour exemption he’s just earned. He can decide to turn pro after the 2024 season ends or use one year of PGA Tour eligibility by turning pro after the 2025 season.