Nick Dunlap has become the first player in PGA Tour history to win as an amateur and as a professional in the same year, rallying for a two-point victory in the Barracuda Championship.
In January at The American Express in La Quinta, the 20-year-old Dunlap – then a sophomore at the University of Alabama – became the eighth amateur to win a tour event and the first in 33 years. He turned professional days later.
On Sunday at Tahoe Mountain Club in California in the only PGA Tour event that uses the modified Stableford scoring system, Dunlap took the lead with a 55-foot eagle putt on the par-5 15th.
He went on to win from Vince Whaley with Patrick Fishburn a further point back in third place.
“I never thought that I would have my name next to that, but it’s definitely an honour,” Dunlap said about the amateur-pro double.
“It’s been a little tough after AmEx. You kind of lose a little bit of confidence and wonder if you can do it again.”
Under the modified Stableford scoring system players receive eight points for a double eagle, five for eagle and two for birdie. A point is deducted for bogey and three for double bogey.
Nine points behind leader Mac Meissner entering the day, Dunlap had 19 points in the bogey-free round to finish with 49. He birdied six of the first 12 holes on the tree-lined Old Greenwood course.
“The only sour thing about this is that winning moment goes quickly,” Dunlap said. “It doesn’t stay as long as you may think, just because tomorrow I’m flying to Minnesota and trying to repeat and do the exact same thing.”
With two events left in the regular season, Dunlap jumped from 95th to 63rd in the tour’s FedEx Cup standings. The top 70 will advance to the playoffs.
“It’s been a goal,” Dunlap said. “It’s, honestly, one of the reasons I played here.”
Whaley made a 17-foot birdie putt on par-4 18th for a nine-point day.
Fishburn had 46 points, holing a 10-footer for birdie on 18 to cap a 12-point round.
Meissner was fourth at 44. He closed a five-point round with a bogey.
Taylor Pendrith and Patrick Rodgers tied for fifth at 43.