Nick Dunlap withdraws from Farmers Insurance Open a day after winning PGA Tour event as an amateur

Less than 24 hours after winning a PGA Tour event, Dunlap needs a breather.

Less than 24 hours after winning the American Express, Nick Dunlap needs a breather.

It was a whirlwind 72 holes in La Quinta, California, for the 20-year-old sophomore in his second season of college golf at Alabama. It was a most intense final round as he made two clutch pars on the final two holes to win by a shot, beating a field of professionals to become the first amateur in 33 years to win on the PGA Tour.

Not only did he win, but he did so in record fashion, posting a 29-under total, the lowest since the event was reduced from a 90-hole tournament to 72.

Dunlap was eligible for the $1.5 million prize due to his amateur status but golf fans won’t soon forget the historical achievement.

On Monday, Dunlap, through the PGA Tour communications office, announced that he will not compete in this week’s Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego.

He was in the field previously as a sponsor exemption. His AmEx win removed that status from him but as was then in the field as a PGA Tour winner, moving Harrison Endycott in as a sponsor exemption.

A further unrelated sequence of events happened when Justin Thomas withdrew. That got Endycott in the field and opened up a sponsor exemption for Hayden Springer.

Nonetheless, Dunlap is stepping back for the week. He is still pondering whether to accept the PGA Tour card and turn pro or stay in school and try to help Alabama win an NCAA title.

“I’ve always wanted to win a ring with Alabama,” he said Sunday. “But no, everything kind of moving forward, and as far as me turning professional, that’s something that it doesn’t just affect me, it affects a lot of people, and that being my teammates and my coach, you know, they, obviously, probably didn’t think that I would ever consider turning pro after this week.”

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To turn pro or not to turn pro. That is the question for Nick Dunlap (who addressed interest in LIV too)

The American Express champion Nick Dunlap has a big decision to make: to turn pro or not to turn pro.

The American Express champion Nick Dunlap has a big decision to make – to turn pro or not to turn pro.

The first amateur to win on the PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson in 1991 is exempt on the PGA Tour through the 2026 season, so technically there’s no rush. But if he turns pro, he’s also exempt into the remaining seven signature events this season, several of which are limited field, no-cut events with purses of at least $20 million (as well as The Sentry in 2025). It’s a no-brainer for the Alabama sophomore, right?

But when asked during his winner’s press conference if he would be accepting PGA Tour membership, Dunlap hesitated and the more he spoke about it the more conflicted he seemed.

“I have no idea,” he said. “I really don’t.”

Dunlap’s life has changed no matter what he decides and he’s gained admission to a new world.

“Starting the week, if you would have said, hey, in five days you’re going to have a PGA Tour card or an opportunity for two years, I would have looked at you sideways,” Dunlap said.

I don’t think he was being modest. And his next statement was telling. He noted that his decision has huge ramifications not just for him.

“It affects a lot of people, (Alabama) coach (Jay Seawell) back there and my teammates, and it’s a conversation I need to have with a lot of people before I make that decision,” he said.

Later, he would express a desire to be ranked No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and to win a ring with his Alabama teammates. Having already won the U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Amateur in 2023, he’s in Rose Zhang territory where there’s really nothing more for him to achieve in the amateur game. Plus, Dunlap also has dreamed of winning on the Tour for most of his life.

“As a kid, you kind of whack it around all over the putting green and every putt’s for a chance to win, whether that’s a PGA Tour event, the Masters, the U.S. Open. And to have that putt, I took a little bit longer than I normally might, and just take in the moment and nothing’s for granted. I may not ever have that chance again, and I just want to embrace it,” he said. “You know, like I said, it may not ever happen again.”

There is, of course, a wild card to be considered in all of this. There’s no doubt that LIV Golf will circle with a lucrative offer that will make him think twice about whether he wants to try to win a ring or have a bank account with Saudi-funded generational wealth.

During a virtual press conference I asked Dunlap if he or his representatives have been contacted by LIV, and if so, does he have any interest in competing in the league?

“As of right now I have no idea, I really don’t,” he said.

He shared that he is represented by GSE and agent Kevin Canning, who Dunlap said worked a deal for Jason Kokrak to go to LIV. GSE also represents Bryson DeChambeau and numerous of their clientele jumped to LIV for big bucks.

“But as far as me, I’ve always grown up dreaming of playing on the PGA Tour, and making a putt just like a little bit ago, to win a PGA Tour event. That was always my dream, to do that. I’ve always tried to chase something that nobody else has done. That’s why I always put in the work that I do, I want to do something special, and something memorable, not only for me, but maybe to leave something behind for somebody else to try to follow and gauge at,” Dunlap explained. “For me, that’s Tiger, right. Like I probably won’t ever even be close to some of the records he set, but I always try to set myself, you know, I’m trying to chase him. I know that’s an extremely high bar, and I don’t know if that comes off really cocky or not, but for me that’s something, I consider him the greatest ever, and for me to try to chase that, and even to be in somewhat of a conversation with him is, like I had said, it’s a dream come true, and it’s why I do what I do.”

Not that I expected him to come out and proclaim he had a contract back in his hotel room that his lawyer was reviewing, but that sounds like a pretty hard no.

There was one more telling comment that may indicate whether he’s planning to stay in college as Phil Mickelson did after he won as an amateur in 1991.

“You got any homework to do tonight?” he was asked.

“Yes,” he said. “Probably won’t do it though.”

Spoken like a college kid with pro aspirations. Apparently, Alabama’s transfer portal may still be open.

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2024 The American Express prize money payouts for each PGA Tour player (but not winner Nick Dunlap)

It pays to play well on the PGA Tour (or to finish second when the winner is an amateur).

It pays to play well on the PGA Tour. Just don’t ask this week’s winner, Nick Dunlap.

The Alabama sophomore won the 2024 The American Express at the Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West in La Quinta, California, at 29 under after a 2-under 70 on Sunday. As an amateur, Dunlap isn’t able to earn money off his win, which would have been a whopping $1.5 million. Instead, that money goes to runner-up Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who made a birdie at the last to finish alone at 28 under. Kevin Yu, Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas finished T-3 at 27 under and each will take home $635,600.

With $8.4 million up for grabs, check out how much money each PGA Tour player earned this week at the 2024 The American Express.

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Prize money payouts

Position Player Score Earnings
1 Nick Dunlap (a) -29 $0
2 Christiaan Bezuidenhout -28 $1,512,000
T3 Kevin Yu -27 $635,600
T3 Xander Schauffele -27 $635,600
T3 Justin Thomas -27 $635,600
T6 Sam Burns -25 $310,800
T6 Michael Kim -25 $310,800
T6 Adam Hadwin -25 $310,800
T9 Keith Mitchell -24 $254,100
T9 Ben Griffin -24 $254,100
T11 Ryo Hisatsune -23 $212,100
T11 Alexander Bjork -23 $212,100
T11 J.T. Poston -23 $212,100
T14 Bronson Burgoon -22 $164,500
T14 Chan Kim -22 $164,500
T14 Jimmy Stanger -22 $164,500
T17 Greyson Sigg -21 $132,300
T17 Tom Hoge -21 $132,300
T17 Carson Young -21 $132,300
T17 Scottie Scheffler -21 $132,300
T21 Alex Smalley -20 $99,120
T21 Min Woo Lee -20 $99,120
T21 Davis Thompson -20 $99,120
T21 Eric Cole -20 $99,120
T25 Chandler Phillips -19 $63,980
T25 Austin Eckroat -19 $63,980
T25 K.H. Lee -19 $63,980
T25 Tony Finau -19 $63,980
T25 Erik van Rooyen -19 $63,980
T25 Zach Johnson -19 $63,980
T25 Alex Noren -19 $63,980
T25 Sungjae Im -19 $63,980
T25 Si Woo Kim -19 $63,980
T34 Will Zalatoris -18 $45,780
T34 Jason Day -18 $45,780
T34 Tyler Duncan -18 $45,780
T34 Vince Whaley -18 $45,780
T34 Joe Highsmith -18 $45,780
T39 Lanto Griffin -17 $34,020
T39 Daniel Berger -17 $34,020
T39 Jacob Bridgeman -17 $34,020
T39 Wyndham Clark -17 $34,020
T39 Paul Barjon -17 $34,020
T39 Matthieu Pavon -17 $34,020
T39 Harrison Endycott -17 $34,020
T39 Justin Lower -17 $34,020
T47 Beau Hossler -16 $23,705
T47 Andrew Putnam -16 $23,705
T47 Ben Kohles -16 $23,705
T47 Mark Hubbard -16 $23,705
T47 Chris Kirk -16 $23,705
T52 Chez Reavie -15 $20,454
T52 Stephan Jaeger -15 $20,454
T52 Erik Barnes -15 $20,454
T52 Patrick Cantlay -15 $20,454
T56 Matt NeSmith -14 $19,404
T56 Yuxin Lin -14 $19,404
T56 Chesson Hadley -14 $19,404
T56 Max Greyserman -14 $19,404
T56 Ben Martin -14 $19,404
61 Taylor Montgomery -13 $18,900
T62 Camilo Villegas -12 $18,564
T62 Sam Ryder -12 $18,564
T62 Zac Blair -12 $18,564
T65 Sam Stevens -11 $18,144
T65 Nico Echavarria -11 $18,144
67 Will Gordon -9 $17,892

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‘Just the beginning’: Fans, PGA Tour and LIV Golf players react to amateur Nick Dunlap’s PGA Tour win

Lefty was one of the first of many to congratulate the rising star on his victory.

What do Nick Dunlap and Phil Mickelson have in common? They’ve both won on the PGA Tour as amateurs.

Lefty accomplished the feat back in 1991 at the Northern Telecom Open in Tucson, Arizona, while at Arizona State, while Dunlap, a sophomore at Alabama, did so on Sunday at the 2024 The American Express at PGA West in La Quinta, California.

Mickelson was one of the first of many to congratulate the rising star on his victory, and his LIV Golf colleague Jon Rahm wasn’t far behind, but it was Dunlap’s Alabama teammates who had the best reaction by far. Check out how fans and players celebrated Dunlap’s incredible win.

Nick Dunlap becomes first amateur to win on PGA Tour since 1991 at 2024 The American Express

Phil Mickelson was the last amateur to win on the PGA Tour in 1991.

LA QUINTA, Calif. — From Arnold Palmer’s five tournament wins to David Duval’s iconic final-round 59 to come from behind and win the 1999 event, the American Express has seen history time and time again.

Now, next to Palmer and Duval comes 20-year-old amateur Nick Dunlap.

Looking for most of the day like the magic that had vaulted him to a three-shot lead entering the final round had evaporated, the University of Alabama sophomore Dunlap grinded down the stretch for a one-shot victory.

Dunlap becomes the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson in 1991. He set a tournament record by finishing 29 under.

As Dunlap played his final 10 holes in 2 under, Tour veteran Sam Burns faltered with tee shots into the water on the final two holes Sunday at the PGA West Stadium Course. Burns lost the lead with had consecutive double-bogeys and finished four shots back.

Dunlap’s par and Burns’ double bogey on the rock-ringed par-3 17th were enough to give Dunlap the lead after Burns had played steady, consistent golf throughout the day. But Dunlap still needed to scramble for a par on the final hole to stay one shot ahead of Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who played the final four holes in 3-under for a 65. That put Bezuidenhout at 28 under, one shot behind Dunlap, who managed an up-and-down on the 18th hole including a five-foot par putt.

Dunlap’s 29-under 259 total is the tournament record since the event switched to a 72-hole format in 2012.

Dunlap’s win will resonate at the American Express and across the PGA Tour. Dunlap matches Mickelson’s 1991 win in the Northern Telecom Open in Tucson, when Mickelson was 20. Dunlap, also 20 and the reigning U.S. Amateur champion just as Mickelson was 33 years ago, becomes the youngest winner on the PGA Tour since 19-year-old Jordan Spieth won the 2013 John Deere Classic.

While Dunlap walks away with no prize money because of his amateur status – Bezuidenhout takes home the $1,512,000 first-place check – it is Dunlap who creates history that won’t soon be forgotten in the desert or on the PGA Tour.

Dunlap is the first player to win as a sponsor exemption since Martin Laird at the 2021 Shriners Hospital event in Las Vegas. In only his fourth professional start, Dunlap made the cut for the first time. He remains only the second player to win the U.S. Junior Amateur and the U.S. Amateur, along with Tiger Woods.

“It’s amazing. Actually, I heard his name last year when he won the U.S. Amateur,” Bezuidenhout said. “Yeah, he’s obviously a hell of a player and congrats to him and hopefully he can be out on the PGA Tour soon, and we all can get to play with him.”

2024 American Express
Nick Dunlap reacts to winning the 2024 American Express at Pete Dye Stadium Course in La Quinta, California. (Photo: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Dunlap’s play Sunday was not as stellar as it had been the first three days. Having made only one bogey in the first 54 holes, Dunlap double bogeyed the par-4 seventh with a tee shot in a lake and watched Burns make birdie to tie for the lead.

Burns took the lead alone with a birdie on the par-5 11th just as Dunlap was starting to miss a series of short putts for birdies. Dunlap finally caught Burns with a birdie on the par-5 16th, setting up Burns’ collapse in the final two holes.

“Hitting my ball in the water on 7, it tested everything I had. I missed a couple putts that I thought I was going to make,” Dunlap said. “And just kind of like my sports psychologist, Bhrett McCabe, I went over a scenario for today probably a million times and it’s never going to go how you plan, and it didn’t. I’m so happy to be standing here.”

A flurry of players were still chasing Dunlap and Burns, including Kevin Yu, who tied for the lead at 28 under but bogeyed the 18th hole to finish at 27 under with a final-round 63. Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas also finished at 27 under to tie for third, with Thomas struggling at times on the way to a 68 and Schauffele just running out of holes in his 65.

“I knew I had to shoot a low weekend, and I was able to,” Schauffele said. “I was too far behind after that round of 3 under at Nicklaus Tournament. In a shootout like this, you can’t afford to shoot 3 under in any round.”

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Rickie Fowler, Tom Kim and other big names miss cut at 2024 American Express

These guys are headed home early.

There’s something special brewing in La Quinta, California.

Thanks to a third-round 12-under 60 at La Quinta Country Club, amateur Nick Dunlap (27 under) holds the outright lead at the American Express. Dunlap made 10 birdies and an eagle on the par-5 6th (his 15th hole of the day). If he goes on to win Sunday, he’d be the first amateur to win on Tour since Phil Mickelson in 1991.

Sam Burns is alone in second at 24 under, and Justin Thomas is 23 under, solo third and four back.

While the college kid is tearing it up, there are several big names heading home a day early after missing the 54-hole cut.

American Express: Photos

Here are several big-name players who won’t play in the final round of the American Express.

SC: Stadium Course
LQCC: La Quinta Country Club
NT: Nicklaus Tournament Course

PGA Tour caddie has hilarious interaction with fan, says be quiet in the most polite way possible

“We’re playing golf over here.”

Professional caddies have a nearly impossible job, even when done right.

Although they’re not the ones hitting the shots, they’re in charge of helping players dial in a yardage, figure out where the wind is coming from and how a certain slope is going to affect ball flight.

And sometimes, caddies have to perform crowd control.

Enter Aaron Flener, caddie for two-time PGA Tour winner J.T. Poston, who is in the field at this week’s 2024 American Express in La Quinta, California. Poston carded a 5-under 67 on Thursday, but on his final hole of the day at PGA West’s Pete Dye Stadium Course, he found the bunker on the par-4 18th.

As Poston lined up for his second shot, cameras panned to him waggling in the bunker, but a fan close by was having a phone conversation. That’s when Flener put a swift end to it in the most polite way possible.

“Sir, can you hang up the phone, please? We’re playing golf over here.”

The comments brought a chuckle from the announcers, and even Poston stepped off his ball and put his hand up to his ear, making a phone gesture with his fingers.

American ExpressPhotos | Friday tee times

No need to fret, however. Poston was able to get out of the bunker and make par to finish his day strong.

And for Flener, it was just another day on the job.

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Adam Schenk hit his approach shot into a fan’s drink then proceeded to make birdie

Cheers, Adam Schenk.

Adam Schenk had an interesting path to a birdie on the 16th hole Thursday during the first round of the 2024 American Express.

Hitting his second shot into the par-5, his ball said wayward toward the fans. Some would say, it was a shank.

Nevertheless, it’s hard to imagine where the ball ended up… in a fan’s cup!

No, really.

The fan held up his cup, almost in shock, as cameras zoomed in on the golf ball floating in the cup.

After a drop, Schenk was able to get up-and-down for a birdie at PGA West’s Stadium Course, one of five he had during an opening 2-under 70 on Thursday.

Cheers, Adam Schenk.

Even his wife, who was walking with Schenk, chimed in.

Check out the best photos of the PGA Tour’s 2024 American Express at PGA West

The best photos from La Quinta, California.

The PGA Tour has made it to the mainland after two weeks in Hawaii for the American Express at PGA West in La Quinta, California.

Three courses will be used for the first three rounds — Pete Dye’s PGA West Stadium Course, PGA West’s Nicklaus Tournament Course and La Quinta Country Club — before a 54-hole cut is made and the final round is played at the Stadium Course.

Reigning champion Jon Rahm is not in the field because of his move to LIV Golf.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is joined in the field by Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, Justin Thomas, Tom Kim, Sam Burns and Jason Day, among others.

Here are some of the best photos from the American Express.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler enjoys return to desert at 2024 American Express

“Come here to the desert, there’s not many conditions, you get a really good gauge of where my game’s at.”

LA QUINTA, Calif. — Scottie Scheffler remembers how two good days at the American Express tournament in 2022 may have started him on his climb to the No. 1 spot in the world rankings.

“I was outside the cut line by maybe three shots with three holes to go over on Stadium Course (at PGA West), and I chipped in for eagle on 16, and made a 30-footer for birdie on 18 to make the cut on the number,” Scheffler said. “Then I went out on Sunday and had a really good round (a 67), I finished 20th or 25th, something like that.

“It kind of jumpstarted the rest of my year,” Scheffler said. “I think I played Torrey Pines the next week, and won in Phoenix a couple weeks after that, and kind of started my run there in 2022.”

That run included four wins including the Masters in 2022 and is a big reason Scheffler returns to the 65th annual the American Express this week as the No. 1 player in the world golf rankings and a two-time PGA Tour player of the year.

American Express: Thursday tee times

Scheffler is one of 155 pros and one amateur, U.S. Amateur champion Nick Dunlap, who begin play Thursday at three different golf courses in La Quinta — the Pete Dye Stadium Course and Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West and La Quinta Country Club. The pro field will be joined by 156 amateurs for the first three days, with the pros only playing the Stadium Course on Sunday for the $8.4 million purse.

Not included in the field is Jon Rahm, the 2023 American Express champion who announced last month he has joined the LIV Tour, disqualifying him from PGA Tour events. It’s the second year in a row the American Express has lacked a defending champion, with 2022 winner Hudson Swafford also joining the LIV Tour before the 2023 event. It marks just the third time the defending champions has not played in the event’s 65-year history.

2023 American Express
Jon Rahm of Spain celebrates with the trophy after winning during the final round of The American Express at PGA West Pete Dye Stadium Course on January 22, 2023 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

Without Rahm, the tournament still has three of the top six players in the world ranking, including Scheffler, No. 5 Xander Schauffele and No. 6 Patrick Cantlay. Also in the field is reigning U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark and high-profile players including Rickie Fowler, Tony Finau, Jason Day, Justin Thomas, Shane Lowry and Matt Kuchar. In all, nine of the top 25 and 21 of the top 50 in the world rankings will tee off in La Quinta.

Also in the field are the winners of the first two tournaments of the season, Chris Kirk (The Sentry) and Grayson Murray (The Sony Open). Without Rahm, the event has seven past champions in the field.

The tournament also features two concerts on the practice range at PGA West this week as country star Keith Urban will play Friday and rock group Train on Saturday. The concerts begin after play on those days, about 5 p.m. local time.

Loving the desert vibe

The American Express is Scheffler’s second start in the new schedule for 2024 after a fifth-place finish at The Sentry in Hawaii two weeks ago. Scheffler said the La Quinta tournament is a great place to start a year.

“Kapalua (The Sentry) is a great, fun event, but you don’t really get a good feel for where your game is at. You’re playing on the side of a volcano, basically, and the wind’s blowing hard, and it’s a different type of golf course,” Scheffler said. “Come here to the desert, there’s not many conditions, you get a really good gauge of where my game’s at going into the rest of the year.”

The American Express has a reputation of low scores, with Rahm winning at 27 under last year. Scheffler said low scores early in the year don’t scare him. The four-day scoring record is 28 under by Patrick Reed in 2014, but that came on two courses that are no longer in the three-course rotation.

2023 American Express
Scottie Scheffler plays his shot from the third tee during the third round of the 2023 American Express at Pete Dye Stadium Course in La Quinta, California. (Photo: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports)

“Usually at the beginning of the year I’m excited to go out and make birdies and not bogeys, so it’s nice coming into tournaments where you got to make birdies,” Scheffler said with a smile. “But just like any golf course, you got to be precise. I feel like on the easier courses on tour, you can’t really get behind, just because it’s so much harder to catch up.”

In his four previous starts in the American Express, Scheffler has posted a third in 2020, a 25th in 22 and an 11th-place finish last year.

Scheffler was first ranked No. 1 in the world in his breakout four-win 2022 season, and he has been No. 1 for the last 35 weeks. While this is the first time Scheffler has been No. 1 at the start of a season, he said he tries not to focus on that position.

“Wherever I sit at in the world rankings doesn’t really affect how I’m going to play this week,” Scheffler said. “Still going out and trying to play good and win the tournament. I feel like I harp on preparation a lot, and so when I show up to tournaments I want to be as prepared as possible.

“Then, when I step up on the first tee, I have a little conversation with myself, that I did everything that I could do to play good this week,” he added.