Another future star is chasing a place in the record books.
Tom Kim can relate, as can Ludvig Aberg. Now it is the turn of Nick Dunlap.
The American’s score of 12-under-par in the third round of The American Express was just the second-ever 60 an amateur has shot on the PGA Tour.
He has a three-shot lead over seasoned tour winner and Ryder Cup player Sam Burns and a four-shot advantage over two-time PGA champion Justin Thomas.
Despite his impeccable amateur record, few could’ve foreseen this performance and Thomas was certainly caught by surprise.
“Didn’t think I was going to have to deal with a freaking college kid shooting 60 today,” he said.
With 10 birdies and an eagle at La Quinta Country Club, Dunlap is in a position to become the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson at the 1991 Northern Telecom Open.
Not to forget, he’s just 20 years old too.
“I always have first-tee jitters, doesn’t matter what I’m playing in,” he said in La Quinta. “No, it was, honestly, just cool just to see the support from this country club come out and support me, and obviously playing with the head pro was kind of cool too.
“Definitely nervous, and what I said yesterday, pressure’s a privilege, and I’m fortunate to be in the spot that I’m in.”
Nick Dunlap: Who is this college star?
Dunlap is in his sophomore year at the University of Alabama, and he has always been destined for golfing greatness.
As a 12-year-old, he shot a 59 at Highland Golf Club in Birmingham, Alabama. When he was 19, he lipped out for a 59 at the Hamptons Intercollegiate in New York.
Dunlap beat Neal Shipley 4&3 in the final of the US Amateur at Cherry Hills Country Club last year, becoming just the second Alabama golfer to win America’s biggest amateur event.
He also became just the second player in history to win both the US Junior Amateur and the US Amateur after Tiger Woods.
Starring at the Walker Cup and the Presidents Cup last summer, Dunlap won even more accolades at the Northeast Amateur and the North & South Amateur.
He is ranked third in the World Amateur Golf Rankings with only Gordon Sargent and Christo Lamprecht ahead of him.
In November, Dunlap was named among 20 nominees for the Fred Haskins Award which is given to the outstanding collegiate golfer in the United States.
He has played in the US Open twice and as the US Amateur champion, he is invited to play in all of the majors bar the PGA Championship.
NOW READ: Patrick Cantlay ‘cares deeply’ about his responsibility in PGA Tour-PIF talks
NOW READ: How much does the winner bank? Here’s The American Express prize money
Could we see an amateur Nick Dunlap-American Express victory later? Tell us your thoughts on X/Twitter!
The post Who is this amateur ace on the brink of PGA Tour history? appeared first on National Club Golfer.
This website aggregates and curates news articles, blog posts, and other content from a variety of external sources. While we aim to link back to the original source, this site does not own or claim ownership of any articles, posts, or other content indexed on this site. The views, opinions, and factual statements expressed in each piece of aggregated content belong solely to its respective author and publisher. We make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of aggregated content. Visitors are advised to verify facts and claims through the original source before reuse or redistribution.
