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Amateur Dunlap wins on the PGA Tour, first since '91

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Nick Dunlap made PGA Tour history on Sunday, becoming the first amateur in 33 years to win on tour by claiming The American Express in La Quinta, California. He followed five-time tour winner and Ryder Cup vet Sam Burns on the back nine before rallying. the last three holes to finish 29 under. Here's what you need to know:

  • Dunlap, 20, is a sophomore at Alabama. By becoming the first player since Phil Mickelson in 1991 to win on the PGA Tour before turning pro, Dunlap will receive a two-year exemption from the tour's biggest events if he decides to leave college golf. After winning the US Amateur last year, he will already be eligible for all four majors in 2024.
  • Dunlap and Burns were tied heading into the par-3 17th, but Dunlap put his tee shot on the green and watched as Burns found water and finished with a double bogey.
  • Dunlap shot a 60 in the third round on Saturday to take a three-shot lead over Burns and four over Justin Thomas entering Sunday, then shot a 70 lead on Sunday to win the tournament.

What happened

Dunlap had a three-shot lead when he stepped to the par-4 7th hole, with a forced carry off the tee. Unfortunately, the amateur found water on his first tee shot; he knew immediately and released the club in his backswing. He had to fall, lay down and had a 15-footer for bogey that he couldn't shake the Cup on. When Burns made the same gap, it tied the game and left most of the top 10 feeling like they were back in it. Burns took the lead with birdies at 10 and 11.

So for the better part of the last nine Sundays, it seemed like Dunlap's story would be about a young player with tremendous 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 just enough in him to take back the lead, and he was right. A birdie at the par-5 16th moved Dunlap to 29 under and tied with Burns, sending the duo (Thomas had fallen off the pace) to No. 17 for a two-hole shootout. It didn't take long before a victor was found.

Burns, who had zero bogeys in his last 24 holes, missed the island green on Pete Dye's Stadium Course right and splashed into the water. He had to take a drop and then two putt to fall two off the lead. Meanwhile, Dunlap looked like the vet in finding the green and two-putting for par.

Burns then placed his tee shot on 18 into the water to the left of the fairway and doubled the hole, finishing in a tie for sixth place.

Dunlap missed the fairway (which happened often on Sunday), but his approach play was once again top-notch, staying flat and out of 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, released it with a fist pump and then hugged his caddy, family and girlfriend.

Christian Bezuidenhout finished second at 28 under after a final round of 65.

What this means for Dunlap

Here's the history part: In addition to the Mickelson tie, 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 to win on the PGA Tour. Mickelson, Spieth and Tiger? Pretty good company.

Dunlap, who is 20 years and 29 days old, doesn't automatically have to turn pro to retain the privileges of his win — although under his amateur status he has lost the $1.51 million earmarked for the winner from The American Express.

Regardless of when he removes the (a) from his name on the rankings, Dunlap is a very big player who this weekend cemented his status as a rising star in professional golf. It was one thing to shoot 64-65-60 over the first three days of the tournament while playing with a very small gallery following him. On Sunday he was in the last group with Burns and Thomas, with all the consequences that entailed. Even when he wasn't making putts or settling for pars through the first 15 holes, he never looked fidgety as he focused on the confidence-based techniques he'd made a priority in his preparation for the round.

“Hitting that ball into the water at seven tested everything I had,” Dunlap told The Golf Channel.

Required reading

(Top photo by Nick Dunlap: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)

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