How 20-year-old golfer Nick Dunlap went from Alabama to PGA Tour success in nine months

A white notepad with the words "ROLL TIDE" spelled out in Crimson red peeked out of the right back pocket of Nick Dunlap's dark blue slacks Friday as walked to turn in his scorecard at the Sanderson Farms Championship.

The pencil lead used to write the number "63" − Dunlap's 6-under-par score − had barely stuck to the paper after the Friday's second round at the Country Club of Jackson.

"I'm playing better than I feel," Dunlap said. "I haven't played much golf lately.

Before Sanderson Farms, the 20-year-old Dunlap hadn't played in a tournament since Aug. 25 at the BMW Championship.

That's partly because the PGA Tour rookie traded his clubs for bows and arrows and fishing poles for most of September, when he was hunting deer in Tennessee and trying to catch fish everywhere.

"I just went to the Alabama (football) game last week," he said. "I'll get to a majority of them this year."

'I love how hard the game is'

About that.

Dunlap lives in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He played golf for the Crimson Tide until he turned pro at the beginning of this year.

He decided to do that after his victory at The American Express in January, when he became the first amateur to win a PGA Tour tournament in 33 years. Besides that, the 2021 U.S. Junior Amateur champion and 2023 U.S. Amateur champion was ranked No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

He'd pretty much hit his college ceiling.

"I'm 20 years old and I'm living out my dream," he said. "I'm very grateful for that."

It's a dream that goes back farther than Dunlap's memory.

"My parents could tell you, but I don't remember," he said with a chuckle.

Dunlap's high school diploma is from the International Virtual Learning Academy, an online accredited K-12 school that allows for flexibility in students' schedules.

Being homeschooled meant Dunlap could make time to play in golf tournaments.

"Golf is a very expensive game. I learned that quickly," he said.

Now he's making that money back, in spades.

Sanderson Farms is Dunlap's 23rd event of the season. He's won twice. He's finished in the top 10 four times. He's made 15 cuts. Going into this tournament, he'd earned $2,878,325.

"I work as hard as I can," Dunlap said. "Sometimes maybe a little too much. I love seeing results. I love how hard the game is, and it always humbles you when you think you got it."

When Alabama turns to Auburn for football help

Once upon a time, the kid from Tuscaloosa, the one who loves everything Alabama, turned to a former Auburn football player for some tips.

Dunlap was 10 when he met Al Del Greco, who spent 17 seasons making money with his foot as a placekicker with the Green Bay Packers, St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals and Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans.

Del Greco also spent four seasons kicking for the Tigers.

Del Greco helped young Dunlap refine his kicking game ahead of the NFL's Punt, Pass and Kick competition at what is now Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

"It was pretty cool," said Dunlap, who, two years later shot a 59 in a Birmingham, Alabama, junior tournament. "It was kind of an out-of-body experience. I never really expected myself to do anything like that."

Just like he never really expected to be standing in some of the places he has stood this year.

Paul Skrbina is a sports enterprise reporter for the USA Today Network. Reach him at pskrbina@gannett.com and on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) @paulskrbina . Follow his work here .

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: How 20-year-old golfer Nick Dunlap went from Alabama to PGA Tour success in nine months