Nick Dunlap earned a one-stroke victory Sunday at The American Express to become the eighth amateur to win a PGA TOUR event and first since Phil Mickelson in 1991.
Dunlap carded a final-round 70 to win at 29-under, which was punctuated by a clutch par putt on the last hole to stave off runner-up Christiaan Bezuidenhout.
WOW! 🏆
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 22, 2024
20-year-old amateur Nick Dunlap is a PGA TOUR champion.
He's the youngest amateur to win since 1910. pic.twitter.com/DKQmK0fuAe
Bezuidenhout still earned the top prize money since Dunlap was ineligible as an amateur. However, the win allows the 20-year-old to turn pro at any point during the 2024 season and gives him a two-year exemption.
Dunlap's performance was his highest score of the week. He matched a TOUR amateur record with a 12-under 60 on Saturday to propel him into the lead before the final round.
Dunlap and Sam Burns were tied atop the leaderboard before Burns put his tee shot on the 17th into the water.
| Finish | Player | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nick Dunlap | -29 |
| 2 | Christiaan Bezuidenhout | -28 |
| T3 | Kevin Yu | -27 |
| T3 | Xander Schauffele | -27 |
| T3 | Justin Thomas | -27 |
Dunlap's triumph earned Mickelson's praise.
Such an impressive performance by Nick Dunlap. Congratulations on an incredible win. This is just the beginning 👍👍
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) January 22, 2024
Dunlap is currently a sophomore at the University of Alabama and the reigning U.S. Amateur champion.
