Nick Dunlap (20), who won the American Express, a professional tournament as an amateur for the first time in 33 years on the PGA Tour, expressed his passion in an interview with local media on the 22nd (Korea time).
It is never easy for an amateur player to win on the PGA Tour, which is full of world’s top rankers.
Only four amateurs have won professional competitions since 1950 in the history of PGA Tour. The golf industry was excited over Dunlap’s victory, which had not been won by an amateur player since Phil Mickelson in 1991.
However, his amateur golf career tells us that this victory is by no means an ‘unusual’.
Dunlap won the 2021 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship and the 2023 U.S. Amateur Championship. This record was held only by “Golf Emperor” Tiger Woods of the United States.
In particular, in the stroke play preliminary round of last year’s US Amateur Championship, Dunlap overcame a slump of 5 over par to 7 holes and advanced to the match play finals and even won the championship.
His strong desire to win can also be seen in the 30-2 record of match play over the past two years.
Dunlap competed with professional players at the U.S. Open in major tournaments in 2022 and 2023 and the PGA Tour Bermuda Championship in November last year, but failed to make the cut.
In the third round of the American Express, however, Dunlap showed off his fierce skills by shooting 12-under 60. With this victory, Dunlap has secured a berth to the PGA Tour, but he is unlikely to turn pro right away.
Dunlap won the U.S. Amateur Championship last year and secured a berth to major tournaments, the Masters, the PGA Championship, and the British Open, because he has to maintain his amateur status to participate in the event.
Even if Dunlap does not turn pro in the 2024 season, there is no problem becoming a member of the PGA Tour in the 2025 season if he turns pro only within 30 days after the end of the season.
BY: 메이저 토토사이트