If you didn’t know who Nick Dunlap was before peeping that headline, hard to blame you. He’s a mere 20-year-old golfer at the University of Alabama. That’s kind of a bummer, because otherwise, he’d be in pole position for a first-place prize of over $1.5 million entering the final round of The American Express.
Dunlap fired a 12-under round of 60 on Saturday, and it’s safe to say this guy should forgo whatever remaining collegiate eligibility he has with the Crimson Tide and just turn pro.
History.@PGATOURU's Nick Dunlap becomes just the second amateur to shoot a 60 in a PGA TOUR event.
At just 20 years old, he currently leads by four @TheAmExGolf. pic.twitter.com/xvjNAKJONR
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 20, 2024
When a two-time major champ and fellow Alabama dude Justin Thomas is lighting it up en route to a 61 of his own to give chase to you and you don’t flinch even a fraction, you know you’re probably made of some special stuff. Or at least that’s the way Nick Dunlap should be thinking about himself, because my goodness, what a freaking 54 holes he just played against the best competition in the world.
It’d be one thing if this was, like, the Puerto Rico Open, or some other cross-schedule event while everyone else was competing in a major championship. Not really the case here. I’ll defer to my ex-colleague Dan Rapaport for more context on just how ridiculous Dunlap’s breakout performance is:
Justin Thomas shot -11 today and lost ground to a 20-year-old Alabama sophomore. Dunlap becomes just the 2nd amateur to shoot 60 on the PGA Tour. Amazing chance to become first amateur to win on tour since Phil in 1991. Roll Tide Roll. pic.twitter.com/ECmcswUDkv
— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) January 20, 2024
You want some more? Statistical freak of nature Justin Ray always got us.
The youngest amateur to win a PGA Tour event since 1900 was Chick Evans at the 1910 Western Open – 20 years, 1 month, 15 days old.
Nick Dunlap would be the youngest (20 years, 29 days) amateur to win a PGA Tour sanctioned event since 1900.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) January 20, 2024
Yup. Nick Dunlap is keeping singular company with the likes of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. That’s not a bad pair to be associated with at age 20. Personally? I would take it.
Speaking of Phil, Lefty weighed in on what No Cap Dunlap — copyright/trademark, me — is doing, and how promising the next wave of young guns looks.
Nick Dunlap has a real shot this weekend to be the next amateur to win a Tour event. This generation of Aberg, Surratt, Sargent, Dunlap, and M.W. Lee are the youngest and most talented group of players I’ve seen and will be a force for decades.
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) January 20, 2024
The impression Dunlap is making across the global golf landscape is very real.
JT chuckles talking Nick Dunlap.
"Told myself after the weekend I wanted to shoot 30 under this weekend. Didn't think I was gonna have to deal with a freaking college kid shooting 60 today."
"He's a stud." pic.twitter.com/uK8B8nCEOA
— James Colgan (@jamescolgan26) January 20, 2024
“Pressure is a privilege.”
Those were the words of U.S. Amateur champ Nick Dunlap, who’s currently T3 at the PGA TOUR’s The American Express.
He didn’t come up with the quote, but it’s a lovely perspective. It means you’re doing something incredible and incredibly difficult.
— Sean Martin (@PGATOURSMartin) January 20, 2024
Got to have dinner with Nick Dunlap at the Western Am this year. Since getting to know him a bit, I’ve been sold that he’s gonna be a star.
Whether or not he wins this week, the kid is gonna be a force for years to come🔥 https://t.co/SJahzBMXwA
— Zephyr Melton (@zephyrmelton) January 20, 2024
Nick Dunlap is a walking BUCKET right now pic.twitter.com/6icUnHYGcU
— Fore Play (@ForePlayPod) January 20, 2024
Tweet is aging well. 👀 I have kids to raise. Easy guys. Enough is enough https://t.co/8VIU3B2XLP
— Byeong Hun An (@ByeongHunAn) January 20, 2024
It’s hard to get too hyped too early on prodigies like Dunlap. Golf is among the most unforgiving sports. It can chew guys up and spit ’em out. In this instance, though, I think it’s safe to say Dunlap is on a trajectory that should lead to him being a superstar in short order. Whether or not he can sustain it is another matter.
Dunlap already feels like the biggest thing since Jordan Spieth in terms of teen-ish guys who are ready to win big-time on the big circuit right out of the gates. Can’t wait to see what Dunlap does on Sunday and well beyond.
Below are merely some of the highlights (full round not available as of now) from Dunlap’s sparkling 60 in Round 3.
There's a new co-leader @TheAmexGolf.
U.S. Amateur Champion @NickDunlap62 is out front in La Quinta.
He could become the first amateur to win on TOUR in 33 years. pic.twitter.com/fUqLEq2Hhx
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 20, 2024
Rolling his way to a 2-shot lead.
Amateur @NickDunlap62 is heating up @TheAmexGolf. pic.twitter.com/0EYbeX4R4H
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 20, 2024
Living the dream.@AlabamaMGolf sophomore @NickDunlap62 has a chance to be the first amateur to win a TOUR event since 1991.
The 20-year-old leads by three @TheAmExGolf. pic.twitter.com/A7YUkxyrlX
— PGA TOUR University (@PGATOURU) January 20, 2024
Unreal.
Amateur @NickDunlap62 is 11-under thru 15 and five shots clear of the field.
The @PGATOURU sophomore is on #59Watch pic.twitter.com/lLumhBjkxB
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 20, 2024
.@AlabamaMGolf's Nick Dunlap birdies the 9th at La Quinta CC for a stunning third-round 60 and the lead by four. 🤯
📺: Golf Channel & @peacock | @TheAmexGolf pic.twitter.com/d5izuDbag4
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) January 20, 2024
