Nick Dunlap has announced he is turning professional in the wake of becoming the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour for 33 years.
The 20-year-old has accepted membership to the tour, which he earned by stunningly winning The American Express last Sunday to become the first amateur winner since Phil Mickelson in 1991.
Speaking during an emotional press conference at the University of Alabama, where he has been a second-year student, on Thursday, Dunlap said: “It was the easiest, hardest decision that I’ve ever had to make.
“I was very fortunate that everyone had the same opinion about it, and my team-mates were awesome and very supportive. It goes back to the family that Alabama has; they were very supportive and wanted me to chase my dreams.”
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Watch highlights of the final day of The American Express as Amateur Nick Dunlap battled off Justin Thomas and Sam Burns to become the first to win a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson in 1991
Dunlap is now exempt on the PGA Tour until the end of 2026 and can play in this season’s seven remaining Signature Events, the Players Championship and all-full field events.
Dunlap also is exempt into three of this year’s four majors: The Masters, US Open and the PGA Championship. The R&A has yet to announce exemption criteria for The Open.
Although he is turning pro just four days after his landmark triumph in California, Dunlap is not retrospectively awarded the £1.1m prize money he would have received for winning the tournament had he not been an amateur player at the time.
The winner’s prize money instead went to the second-placed finisher, Christiaan Bezuidenhout.
More to follow…
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