Nick Dunlap grew to become the primary novice in 33 years to win on the PGA Tour, making a six-foot par putt on the ultimate gap for a one-stroke victory over Christiaan Bezuidenhout on the American Specific on Sunday.
Dunlap, the 20-year-old College of Alabama sophomore and U.S. novice champion, is the primary novice winner since Phil Mickelson on the Tucson Open in 1991. He’s enjoying in simply his fourth tour occasion , grew to become solely the seventh novice winner since 1945. – and the third since 1957.
The one novice within the area of 156 gamers within the event lengthy generally known as the Bob Hope Desert Basic, Dunlap constructed a three-shot lead with a scorching 60 within the third spherical. He misplaced that lead Sunday on the entrance 9 on the Stadium Course at PGA West, however performed with the resilience of a seasoned veteran down the stretch, capped by his restoration from two errant photographs on the 18th for the successful par.
“Nothing like I've ever felt,” Dunlap mentioned. “It was so cool to be right here and expertise this as an novice. Whether or not I made that or I missed that (final putt), when you had informed me (on) Wednesday evening, I might have had a putt to win this event golf, I gained't imagine you.
He completed with a two-under 70 to complete at 29-under 259 and break the event scoring report as a 72-hole occasion. He’s additionally the youngest winner within the historical past of the occasion, and have become the youngest novice to win on the tour since 1910.
Bezuidenhout birdied the 18th within the ahead group to maintain the stress on Dunlap, whose tee shot landed excessive within the fairway. His second shot wasn't rather more correct, and he may need hit a spectator earlier than taking a fortunate roll from the foul right into a weedy drainage space off the inexperienced.
Dunlap bought inside six ft along with his third shot, and celebrated the par putt for the title with hugs from his dad and mom, his girlfriend and his school coach, Jay Seawell, who all flew in over the weekend to see in individual.
Dunlap and Tiger Woods are the one golfers to win the US Beginner and US Junior Beginner. Whereas Dunlap was celebrated Sunday for probably the most spectacular performances in latest golf historical past, he didn’t obtain the $1.5 million first-place prize, which fits to Bezuidenhout after the South African's ultimate 65 .
Dunlap nonetheless doesn't get the five hundred FedEx Cup factors — however his rewards are nonetheless ample. If he stays in Alabama, he’ll enter the Masters, US Open and British Open because the US novice champion. If he turns professional and joins the PGA Tour, he nonetheless has the Masters and US Open, together with the remaining seven $20 million signature occasions on tour.
“It's superb,” Bezuidenhout mentioned of Dunlap's success. “Really, I heard his identify final yr when he gained the US Beginner. He's clearly a hell of a participant, and congratulations to him. I hope he can get out on the PGA Tour quickly, and we are able to all play with him “.
Nick Dunlap celebrates after successful the American Specific golf event at La Quinta Nation Membership on Sunday.
(Ryan Solar/Related Press)
Dunlap and his dad and mom mentioned they haven't instantly determined what he'll do subsequent — however his meteoric profession has hit one other excessive within the Coachella Valley.
Dunlap confirmed psychological toughness as he performed via apparent nerves in his ultimate spherical. His three-shot lead vanished when he put his tee shot within the water and double-bogeyed the seventh as Sam Burns birdied him.
“We didn't face a variety of adversity, and hitting my ball within the water on seven, it examined all the pieces I had,” Dunlap mentioned. “I missed a few putts that I assumed I used to be going to make. … It's by no means going to go the best way you suppose, and it's not. I'm so comfortable to be right here.”
Dunlap rebounded coolly and beat Burns down the stretch, pulling even with a birdie on the sixteenth.
After which Burns was the one who blew it, utterly lacking the well-known island inexperienced on the seventeenth and hitting the water along with his 164-yard drive. He additionally missed a 26-foot bogey putt, abruptly pulling a two-shot lead over Dunlap heading into the 18th.
Dunlap thought he nonetheless had a two-stroke lead when he teed it up, as he and his caddy didn't test the leaderboard or see Bezuidenhout's birdie. His first two errant photographs elevated the stress, however Dunlap got here away with the most important par of his life.
“I assumed I hit someone” with the second shot, Dunlap mentioned. “I'm sorry. I'm not who I used to be. However I had an enormous break and I used to be in a position to give an excellent look.”
Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele and Kevin Yu tied for third at 27 beneath. Burns led the occasion after two rounds with a career-high 61, and was tied with two holes to play Sunday earlier than hitting water on every of his ultimate two holes and carding back-to-back double bogeys , finish in a tie. for sixth
