Weekend Wrap: Nick Dunlap(a) Makes History
Weekend Wrap: Nick Dunlap(a) Makes History
He's the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson in 1991. Plus, McIlroy wins in Dubai, De la Fuente books three major trips and remembering Jackie Burke.
Better than most! Golf gave us thrillers in two deserts, a fantastic tussle for the Latin America Amateur, an LPGA player moving closer to Hall of Fame status and remembrances pouring in for the late, great Jackie Burke.
Still, there is nothing quite like watching history earned on a grand stage. So let’s get to amateur Nick Dunlap’s monumental win in the American Express.
Amateur Wins On The PGA Tour!
Even in an era of “NIL” money and amateur golfers decked out in scripted clothes, Nick Dunlap’s quest to win the 2024 American Express still felt as monumental as any other amateur trying to pull off the rare feat. The singularity of the moment became apparent after he posted Saturday’s jaw-dropping 60 at La Quinta CC, then came back to PGA West for a TV interview where he mentioned his evening would include homework, laundry and a quiet dinner with his girlfriend (and yes, I’m aware Ruth’s Chris is not exactly Chipotle). All of this while knowing something big was brewing given that his Alabama coach, parents and family friends were making mad dashes to reach greater La Quinta in time to witness history.
The current U.S. Amateur champion and recent Walker Cup star lost his three-stroke third round lead to Sam Burns by the 7th following a double bogey 6. Dunlap would not reclaim a share of the lead until a birdie at the 16th while Burns recorded a par 5. With both at -29, Dunlap received the dubious “honor” of teeing off first at the par 3 17th, a terrifying island green surrounded by water and mountain boulders which make the target look smaller than its sibling in Ponte Vedra Beach.
The 20-year-old put his ball on dry land only to watch Burns dunk his tee shot into the water. A two-putt par sent the amateur to the 18th with what he believed was a two-stroke lead. But up ahead Christiaan Bezuidenhout birdied the finisher to move into solo second at -28.
Dunlap had no idea since the next available scoreboard sat greenside.
“I probably had a thousand different scenarios in my head of how today was going to go, and it went nothing like I expected,” Dunlap said after the round. “I think that was the cool part about it. That's golf.”
He bailed out off the 18th tee away from the lake Burns would soon find. As Dunlap faced the second from dormant Bermuda mounding, it remained unclear if he knew par was necessary to avoid a playoff.
“I hit a lot of shots that I didn't think I was going to hit and then I hit some shots that went way better than I expected, and the same thing with putting. Like I said, I just think that's the cool part of golf.”
The second stayed right of the green and far from the water, but bounced off a spectator and into the collection area right of the green. From there, Dunlap wedged to six feet.
“I was so nervous that I don't know if I could have done anything. Most nervous I've ever been, by far. Just tried to breathe, but also look up and enjoy it a little bit.”
He credited caddie Hunter Hamrick, a member of Alabama’s 2012 NCAA runner-up squad, with keeping him calm.
“He's really good for me to have somebody like that on the bag,” Dunlap said. “On the last putt, he just kind of said, over and over, like, Man, this is inside left, like it's right there. And just to kind of have that, the way he said it, it was said with a lot of positivity, and I trusted him and put it right there.”
An emotional fist pump celebration ensued as his playing partners Burns and Justin Thomas stood back to allow Dunlap his moment in golf history.
“I've said it numerous times today and yesterday and the past couple days, it's a really cool spot to be in as an amateur, and just to be here and be given the opportunity to play, and I don't ever want to forget today.”
Dunlap become the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson at the 1991 Northern Telecom Open. In one of those surreal coincidences golf loves to serve up, both Dunlap and Mickelson won the U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills the previous summer. (Dunlap took his final match 4&3 over Neal Shipley to Mickelson’s 5&4 win over Manny Zerman.)
Dunlap’s win was set up by his spectacular third round. Playing on a sponsor exemption in just his fourth PGA Tour start (two of which were majors), Dunlap birdied his final hole at La Quinta Country Club for a career-low 12-under 60. It tied the Tour record for low round by an amateur (Patrick Cantlay/2011 Travelers).
At 20 years, 29 days, Dunlap becomes the youngest to win on the PGA Tour since Chick Evans at the 1910 Western Open (20 years, 1 month, 15 days). Dunlap is the first reigning U.S. Amateur champion to win on the Tour since Tiger Woods in 1996.
The other amateurs to win on the PGA Tour (since 1940):
Phil Mickelson, 1991 Northern Telecom Open
Scott Verplank, 1985 Western Open
Doug Sanders, 1956 Canadian Open
Gene Littler, 1954 San Diego Open
Frank Stranahan, 1948 Miami Open
Frank Stranahan, 1945 Durham War Bond Tournament
Cary Middlecoff, 1945 North & South Championship
Fred Haas, 1945 Memphis Invitational
Statistically, the three-course setup meant an unfortunate void of robust ShotLink storytelling data for all rounds. However, there is enough to tell us Dunlap was strong throughout the bag: 58 of 72 greens, 33 of 56 fairways, 12 of 14 scrambling opportunities and only 105 putts over four rounds. He was, however, 0-for-2 sand saves. Something to clean up!
Whether Dunlap works on the bunker play as an amateur or professional is still uncertain. His focus had been on an already-earned spot in the Masters, finishing the season at No. 13 ranked Alabama, and securing a PGA Tour card through the “U” program.
“I've had goals outside of that for a little while, one of them being No. 1 player in the world as an amateur, and I've always wanted to win a ring with Alabama,” Dunlap said. “As far as me turning professional, that's something that it doesn't just affect me, it affects a lot of people, and that being my teammates and my coach, you know, they, obviously, probably didn't think that I would ever consider turning pro after this week. But, like I said, I need to, obviously, talk to them and a lot of other people before I make any kind of decision like that.”
No rush. The winners check still won’t land in your bank account. But the trophy, exemptions to incredible tournaments and a rarefied place in golf history remain all yours, Nick Dunlap.
Other stuff:
Dunlap celebrates with family, friends and team members immediately after securing the win.
On the business front, Dunlap is eligible to accept PGA Tour membership at any time during the 2024 season and receives a PGA Tour winner’s exemption which includes membership through 2026 along with exemptions into all 2024 Signature Events (provided he turns pro before those events), the Masters and PGA Championship. If he turns professional, he will still be exempt into the Masters, PGA Championship and retain his U.S. Open spot earned from winning the U.S. Amateur.
Runner-up Christiaan Bezuidenhout misses out on the winner perks but happily takes the first place check of $1.5 million.
For those inevitably declaring such a win was made much easier by a LIV-weakened field, there were more stars than normal at the Hope/American Express and the field drew very strong OWGR numbers (I know, I know, LIV, blah, blah, OWGR, grassy knoll, Dominion, blah, blah, blah).
Recently retired Alabama football coach Nick Saban joined the broadcast by phone and discussed his friendship with both Alabama golfers playing in the final group. He also discussed his extensive search for a short game at the team facility and the win in his Jupiter retirement community. The coaching legend also set a new per-minute record for dropping every golf cliche imaginable while chatting with Terry Gannon and Brandel Chamblee (golf is a metaphor for life, one shot at a time, et cetera…).
Speaking of Chamblee, he was a noticeable upgrade over Kevin Kisner’s bro-heavy rooting during the Sentry TOC. The controversial Golf Channel pundit delivered refined observations and analysis you’d hope to hear in a lead chair, even if I don’t ever recall his Texas accent ever being that strong. (Different vibe in a booth than a punditry desk.)
Working alongside the always-solid Terry Gannon, Chamblee was one of the few bright spots in what was otherwise a 2009 Korn Ferry Tour-level production devoid of the normal bells and whistles CBS is expected to restore when it takes over Tour coverage this week.
Dunlap remains on the list for this week’s Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. As The Quad hit the printing press, Dunlap was no longer listed with an amateur designation. Whether that is based on new information or a mistake, we’ll find in due time.
Justin Thomas, who tied the PGA West Stadium Course record Saturday with a 61 and played with Dunlap Sunday, has WD’d from the Farmers after his T3 finish.
A year after closing with a 10-under 62 in the 2023 American Express, Xander Schauffele (T3/-27) posted a 65 to finish T3 for the second consecutive year.
Full highlights from a special day:
McIlroy Wins Fourth Desert Dubai Classic
A third round 63 at The Emirates Golf Club helped cut into a 10-stroke deficit halfway through, making it the biggest comeback of his storied career. McIlroy followed up Saturday’s magic with a more workmanlike final round 70 to hold off Poland’s Adrian Meronk by a stroke.
“Look, Augusta is still a long way away in golfing terms,” said McIlroy. “A lot can change in two and a half months. But it’s always nice to get a win and it really can sort of act as a nice springboard into the rest of the year. But remember, I started well last year with the win here.”
McIlroy credited Brad Faxon with an unprompted, mid-tournament putting tip in helping him turn the week around.
“Fax sent it across without a prompt from me,” McIlroy said. “He just said, ‘look, I hate bothering you when you’re at a tournament, but I just saw a couple of things’. It’s actually the exact same thought with my putting that I had at the 2022 Tour Championship. I ended up going on to win that, as well. I definitely putted better on the weekend.”
McIlroy reflected on what the Dubai event has meant to his career.
“The first Desert Classic, I took a media credential and I walked inside the ropes to follow Tiger and Ernie and Thomas Bjorn,” he said. “And then just to think about even the arc of that: Thomas Bjorn was my Ryder Cup Captain; I ended up buying Ernie Els's house; I've become really good friends with Tiger Woods. It's just amazing to think back on the last 18 years and sort of where I find myself.”
Also:
McIlroy will next appear in two weeks at Pebble Beach as he prepares for the Masters.
Meronk’s runner-up continues his impressive rise up the world rankings. Expect a move into the top 40 this week as he arrives on the PGA Tour to play at Torrey Pines. (Meronk is already in the Masters off of his 2023 year-end top 50 ranking.)
American Cameron Young finished solo third after a final round 74 capped off by vandalizing the 18th green in a less than attractive moment. A haircut would be nice, too.
Joaquin Niemann finished T4 in a bid to pick up world ranking points and reach The Masters.
Amateur Michael Thorbjornsen of Stanford posted a final round 68 to finish 11th.
Full highlights:
De la Fuente Wins LAAC
Santiago De la Fuente held off fellow Mexican Omar Morales to win the Latin America Amateur Championship. De la Fuente posted a stunning final round 64 in blustery winds. The senior All-American at University of Houston becomes the second player from Mexico to win the LAAC and now books trips to The Masters, U.S. Open and The Open.
Trailing by three to start his Sunday round at Panama’s Santa Maria Golf Club, the 22-year-old birdied his final two holes for a two-stroke margin. An early mistake at the second hole by Morales, the UCLA junior, opened the door for De la Fuente to cut into the lead, setting off the duel between countrymen.
“Even though I've been preparing myself for the winning moment—the winning putt, visualizing myself, chasing the guy that's winning, winning by five—I visualized every scenario possible,” De la Fuente said. “Still feels unreal and still feels I don't think there's even words to describe it.”
The 2022 LAAC runner-up, De la Fuente becomes the sixth amateur in the 2024 Masters field. He joins Christo Lamprecht (The Amateur), Nick Dunlap (U.S. Amateur), Neal Shipley (U.S. Amateur runner-up), Stewart Hagestad (U.S. Mid-Amateur Champion) and Jasper Stubbs (Asia-Pacific Amateur).
Highlights:
Remembering Jackie Burke
The oldest living major champion, instructor, philosopher and club operator Jack Burke Jr. passed away Friday in Houston. He was 10 days shy of his 101st birthday.
The son of River Oaks pro and a former U.S. Open runner-up in 1920, Burke won the Masters and PGA Championship in 1956. He also captured 16 PGA Tour titles including four-in-a-row in 1952. Burke would later co-found Champions Golf Club with Jimmy Demaret, hosting numerous significant events while holding court there after his playing days. Burke also taught and mentored many notable players.
“He was a great protector of the game and of club life too,” said once of those pupils, Ben Crenshaw. “He had a lot to say about how a club should be run. He and Jimmy Demaret formed a great club. It was a model for a lot of people, but God, he's a special man in my life and I will miss him, but he's going to be with me.”
Known for his epic wit, Burke also had a sharp edge to his brilliant one-liners.
“He was a tough old Marine, and he carried the fight with him all the time,” said Crenshaw. “It was like hand-to-hand combat when you got on the course with Jackie, but he just would not let you up at all. He was hard on me in the right way and hard on a lot of other people that I can think of.”
Doug Ferguson’s AP obituary led with Burke’s love of the game.
Jack Burke Jr. loved to play golf as much as he enjoyed teaching it.
When Champions Golf Club hosted the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open, Mr. Burke was 97 and still engaging, a twinkle in his blue eyes, irreverent as always. “The USGA has never owned a golf course,” he said that week. “But they come to your course and tell you how to run it.”
Jim McCabe’s lengthy remembrance at PGATour.com opened this way:
Soften the music, remove your cap, lower flags at every green and raise a toast. Arguably the last bridge connecting us to that bygone era of professional golf filled with shot-making wizardry, colorful characters, hard-scrabble courses and diabolical stymies is no longer opened.
“He’s been the most influential in Houston golf,” Hal Sutton, winner of 14 PGA Tour events, including the 1983 PGA Championship, told the Chronicle on Friday. “He lived a long productive life of giving people golf lessons and life lessons. He will be sorely missed and fondly remembered.
“Everybody in the golf industry, he’s had a positive effect on. The reason I like him so much was because he was always a truth sayer. Jackie lived his life that way.”