Former @SpainParkATH golfer and current Greystone member Nick Dunlap became the first golfer to win as an amateur and professional in the same year on the PGA Tour after he rallied to win the Barracuda Championship.
— Andrew Simonson (@andrewtsimonson) July 22, 2024
Story: https://t.co/c5F2MREvqx pic.twitter.com/svbD2liz0k
Nick Dunlap has achieved a remarkable feat, becoming the first PGA Tour rookie to secure two victories in a season since 2017. His latest triumph at the Barracuda Championship in Truckee, California, follows his win at the American Express in January, making him the only player in Tour history to win as both an amateur and a professional in the same season.
Nick Dunlap’s triumph at the Tahoe Mountain Club was truly extraordinary. He sealed it with a magnificent round of 9-under 62, clinching an unmatched tally of 19 points in the modified stableford model. His impressive highlights featured a stunning eagle putt measuring over 55 feet on hole number fifteen and nailing three birdies on par-3s. This exceptional display enabled him to soar up by twenty-seven spots towards securing the clubhouse lead at forty-nine points.
After accomplishing this task, Dunlap shared his thoughts: “I never anticipated my name being next to that achievement. It’s certainly a privilege. Following AmEx, it was somewhat difficult as I questioned whether I could replicate the feat and struggled with reduced confidence; however, having an exceptional team enables me to succeed – they provide support and belief in me while pushing me forward.”
Dunlap’s closest competitor, Vince Whaley, finished at 47 points, needing birdies on his final two holes to force a playoff. However, Whaley’s par on the 17th secured Dunlap’s victory.
The win earned Dunlap 300 FedExCup points, moving him from No. 95 to No. 63, and solidified his season with a spot in all signature events. Despite a rocky start as a pro, including finishing last in two signature events and missing the cut in three majors, Nick Dunlap showed signs of resurgence with recent top-10 finishes and a strong performance at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
“Never gets old, it really doesn’t,” Nick Dunlap shared. “I told myself after AmEx I wanted to enjoy the moment a little bit more. The only sour thing about this is that the winning moment goes quickly. 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. So, I promised myself if it did happen or when it happened again that I would try to enjoy it a lot more, so, yeah, I’m going to look at it all night.”
As Nick Dunlap heads to the 3M Open in Minneapolis, he carries with him not just his fishing pole, but also the confidence of a historic win.
