LA QUINTA, Calif. – University of Alabama sophomore men’s golfer Nick Dunlap became the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since 1991 when he claimed The American Express on Sunday evening. Dunlap won the event by one stroke over Christiaan Bezuidenhout, finishing the 72-hole tournament at 29-under par 259 (64-65-60-70).
The 2023 reigning U.S. Amateur champion, Dunlap, who is 20 years old, became the second-youngest PGA Tour winner in the past 90 years. Despite not walking with the prize money due to his amateur status, Dunlap will not go away empty-handed. The Crimson Tide sophomore earned PGA TOUR membership through the 2026 season with the victory, as well as exemptions into all 2024 Signature Events, including the Masters and PGA Championship.
Dunlap becomes the 11th different Alabama golfer to win a PGA Tour event with his victory (36 total victories).
Nick Dunlap Comments
This is like nothing I’ve ever felt. It’s so cool to just be out here and experience this as an amateur. Whether I made or missed that last putt, if you told me Wednesday night that come (Sunday) I’d have a putt to win this golf tournament – it’s just unbelievable.
Nick Dunlap, The American Express Champion
- 2023 U.S. Amateur champion Nick Dunlap became first amateur to win on TOUR since Phil Mickelson at the 1991 Northern Telecom Open
- At 20 years, 29 days, Dunlap became the youngest amateur to win on the PGA TOUR since Chick Evans at the 1910 Western Open (20 years, 1 month, 15 days).
- First reigning U.S. Amateur champ to win on the PGA Tour since Tiger Woods in 1996
- Named to the Fred Haskins Award Watch List after ending the fall season ranked as the No. 1 golfer in the nation
- Finished the fall campaign as the Crimson Tide’s top golfer, averaging 67.00 strokes per round and a -4.13 average vs. par
- All eight of his rounds played this fall (across three tournaments) were par or lower with five rounds carded in the 60s
- Won stroke play medalist honors at the SEC Match Play hosted by Jerry Pate to secure second career individual title
- Won back-to-back SEC Golfer of the Week awards during the fall season (September 27 and October 4)
- Coming off an outstanding summer on the amateur circuit
- Second Alabama golfer in program history to win the U.S. Amateur Championship
- Joined Tiger Woods as the second golfer in history to win both the U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Amateur titles
- Competed for Team USA at the Walker Cup and President’s Cup over the summer, helping the U.S. bring home trophies in each event
- Carded four consecutive rounds in the 60s to lead all USA golfers with a second-place individual finish and secure a team championship for Team USA at the World Amateur Team Championship in October
- Captured consecutive major championships in the 61st Northeast Amateur and the 123rd North & South Amateur
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