Nick Dunlap is now competing in his 15th event as a professional golfer since shocking the world by winning the American Express at La Quinta as an amateur last January. And although he’s become more comfortable in the pro life, Dunlap admits the pro game can be frustrating.
“Honestly, the most frustrating thing is realizing that sometimes I can’t hit pins with sand wedges,” Dunlap said. “I think (the last few tournaments) have been eye-opening for me because I’ve realized that sometimes you can’t hit the green even if you’re on the fairway.”
“It took me a while to understand how to play some of these courses,” Dunlap added. “Even par is a great score. Usually it gets even harder on the weekends.”
Dunlap, only 20 years old, has decided to turn professional since winning the American Express at La Quinta, where he became the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour in 33 years. Should he have stayed at the University of Alabama? Was his game ready for the PGA Tour, even though he had just beaten a field that included world number one Scottie Scheffler and PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele?
The questions grew louder as Dunlap’s year progressed. While he earned more than $1 million in his 14 starts – he didn’t win any money at the American Express – he missed five cuts and finished in the top 15 in an event just twice. He missed the cut in all three major championships he played this year, and finished 66th in his final event, the Travelers Championship. He finished a strong 12th at the Memorial the week before the U.S. Open.
But at this week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, Dunlap is in the running at the halfway point, building on his first-round 67. He is 8 under par after 36 holes, just five shots behind leader Akshay Bhatia.
For Dunlap, it’s all part of a learning process.
“I always thought I had a lot to learn here,” Dunlap said. “I thought my game was good enough. But these guys are so consistently good week in and week out. I knew I had to do a few things to keep my game up and keep up week in and week out. I’ve been here three, four months now. I’m starting to get it.”
One reason Dunlap turned pro was that his win at The American Express gave him an exemption from PGA Tour events through 2026, meaning he doesn’t have to worry about putting together a schedule like a regular rookie. Additionally, Dunlap was exempt from all eight major PGA Tour events in 2024, most of which have no cut and therefore offer a guaranteed paycheck for a player.
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Nick Dunlap reacts after putting on the first green during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Photo Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
But the change has been difficult, Dunlap said, because he has to think about his teammates at the University of Alabama during the college golf season.
Although he felt comfortable with the decision to turn pro after winning The American Express, a one-stroke victory over Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Dunlap said he continued to keep an eye on his Alabama teammates and their journey through the NCAA Championships, a journey that ended well short of an NCAA title.
“I still feel kind of bad. I feel like I let them down,” Dunlap said. “I would have loved to be with them at the regionals and the NCAAs the following week.”
However, Dunlap has found new supporters on the PGA Tour.
“Honestly, a lot of the guys here have been very, very nice to me and have always offered support and help with everything they do,” Dunlap said. “It’s been a bit of a strange situation, but I’m 20 and there aren’t a lot of my peers here right now.
“Sometimes you can feel a little lonely. You feel a little bit like you’re on an island,” he added. “A lot of the guys have been really kind and reached out so I don’t feel that way.”
Dunlap has also had a lot of TV time recently, not because of his current play but because of American Express’s win. American Express is a major partner of the United States Golf Association and used some of its advertising time during the recent U.S. Open to replay highlights of Dunlap’s victory at La Quinta.
Currently, Dunlap sits 93rd on the FedEx Cup playoff points list, well below the 70th spot he needs at the end of the regular season to qualify for the FedEx St. Jude Classic, the first of three playoff tournaments. That means Dunlap has just five events left on the regular schedule to make the playoffs, starting with this week’s Rocket Mortgage.
