This week at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, Nick Dunlap, the 19-year-old phenom from the University of Alabama, will make his highly anticipated PGA TOUR debut. Dunlap became one of just two players to win both major titles, joining Tiger Woods, after winning both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Junior Amateur this summer.
In August, Dunlap equaled Woods as the second male golfer to win the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Junior Amateur, creating history. Furthermore, Dunlap became the first member of the Crimson Tide golf team to win the 123rd U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills Country Club since Jerry Pate, who went on to win eight PGA TOUR titles, did so in 1974. Even though he will probably lose out on four titles to the six-year run that Woods had in the 1990s (three U.S. Juniors and three U.S. Amateurs), Dunlap acknowledged his appreciation for Woods and said that it was a dream come true to be mentioned in the same sentence as the legendary player. On his route to the title in Cherry Hills, Dunlap defeated Ohio State’s Neal Shipley, 4 and 3, in the championship match, and defeated the top-ranked amateur Gordon Sargent.
“He’s simply victorious. He simply exudes a certain aura.” Alabama coach Jay Seawell said about Dunlap on the NBC broadcast.
Before Cherry Hills, Dunlap and Sargent had crossed paths numerous times. Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, they were about 20 minutes apart. They met each year at a few U.S. Kids and state junior competitions. A year older than Dunlap, Sargent continued to sharpen his skills at Shoal Creek and the Country Club of Birmingham, while Dunlap worked at Greystone Golf and Country Club, home of the PGA TOUR Champions’ Regions Tradition major tournament. Sargent’s diminutive build and extraordinary length stood in stark contrast to Dunlap’s enormous stature and massive game. Since Sargent won the NCAA Championship as a freshman at Vanderbilt, his fame grew more quickly. Now that Dunlap is gaining traction, the two are becoming closer and more respectful of one another. Following their match in the U.S. Am, Sargent texted the winner, Dunlap, telling him he could now have the tournament.
On becoming Walker Cup teammates, they also persuaded captain Mike McCoy to “unleash the beast” by pairing them in foursomes. Sargent and Dunlap’s collaboration brought their friendship back to life, and they both played key roles in the American team’s victory. They are positioned to follow in the footsteps of great duos like Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas as they advance, giving Birmingham bragging rights for many years to come.
During the Hamptons Intercollegiate in East Hampton, New York, Dunlap came dangerously close to accomplishing yet another incredible achievement. He lip-posted a birdie putt on the 18th hole, which would have made it the first 59 in collegiate competition. After shooting 69 in the morning, Dunlap went on an incredible run in the afternoon, making 10 birdies, including six in a row before the 18th hole. With an eight-foot birdie putt on the last hole, he appeared to be closing in on the possibility of recording collegiate golf’s first score under 60. He was an eye-opening 12-under for the day.
Dunlap shot a 60 to become the 18th player in college golf history.
Dunlap demonstrated his abilities by leading Team USA to victory at the 2023 World Team Amateur Championship held at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, just as he did at the Walker Cup. He ended a nine-year drought for the United States by shooting four consecutive rounds in the 60s and finishing second at 15-under 273, helping the country win the Eisenhower Trophy.
The success of the team was mostly due to Dunlap, Sargent, and amateur David Ford, who was ranked No. 5. Dunlap’s summer saw him rise to No. 3 in the WAGR and establish himself as a player to watch, and the victory finished that off.
Dunlap, a sophomore, is the programme director for the PGA TOUR University Accelerated programme. The programme, which made its debut in 2022, provides overachievers who excel in college golf with a direct road to the TOUR.
Sargent was its first successful graduate, having reached the 20-point mark in October and being eligible to receive PGA TOUR membership following the 2024 NCAA National Championship.
Dunlap has eleven points: two from his Walker Cup appearance, one from competing in the World Amateur Team Championships, three from his victory in the U.S. Amateur, two from his starts in the last two U.S. Opens. If he makes the cut in Bermuda, he’ll reach 12, and he’ll accrue more points from his certain starts in the Open Championship, U.S. Open, and Masters in 2024. If he continues at this pace, he will cross the 20-year mark before his senior year. Even if he doesn’t, he is a strong candidate to follow in Ludvig Åberg’s footsteps and place first on the PGA TOUR University Ranking and immediately enter the TOUR.
