Rising star Nick Dunlap made history on Sunday after becoming the first player in PGA Tour history to win as an amateur and a professional in the same year.
The 20-year-old turned quite a few heads in January when, playing as a sophomore at the University of Alabama, he won The American Express in La Qunita.
Unfortunately for the young American, his amateur status meant that he wasn’t entitled to the first prize money – but that wasn’t the case at the Barracuda Championship, where he scooped a tidy $720,000 for his efforts.
“I never thought that I would have my name next to that, but it’s definitely an honor,” Dunlap said about the amateur-pro double.”
After becoming just the eighth amateur to win a PGA Tour event, the first in 33 years, at The American Express, Dunlap turned professional.
And he’s taken a while to find his feet, his six mixed cuts proving how difficult the step up can be.
“It’s been a little tough after AmEx. You kind of lose a little bit of confidence and wonder if you can do it again,” he admitted.
The confidence was certainly back flowing at Tahoe Mountain Club after he drained a 55-foot eagle on the par-5 15th to take the lead.
The Barracuda Championship is the only PGA Tour event that uses the Modified Stableford scoring system.
Players are awarded eight points for a double eagle, five for eagle and two for birdie, whilst a point is deducted for bogey and three for double bogey.
“I hadn’t made an eagle yet this week, so that was kind of the goal, and just play aggressive, not reckless,” Dunlap said.
“This course, it allows you to make a lot of birdies if you’re in position.”
Dunlap remained aggressive and picked up two more points with a birdie at the par-4 17th, and his bogey free final round saw him finish on 49 points, two clear of Vince Whaley.
Afterwards, a rejuvenated Dunlap, who moved up to 41st in the Official World Golf Ranking, revealed that he doesn’t intend to rest on his laurels.
“The only sour thing about this is that winning moment goes quickly,” he said.
“It doesn’t stay as long as you may think, just because tomorrow I’m flying to Minnesota and trying to repeat and do the exact same thing.”
With two events left in the regular PGA Tour season season, Dunlap jumped from 95th to 63rd in the FedEx Cup standings.
Only the top 70 players will advance to the playoffs.
Up next for the history maker is the 3M Open, which gets underway at TPC Twin Cities on Thursday.
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