20-year-old amateur golfer wins PGA Tour event, but won’t take home $1.5 million prize

(CNN) — Nick Dunlap, a 20-year-old sophomore who plays golf at the University of Alabama, won the American Express Tournament on Sunday at PGA West Golf Course in La Quinta, California.

Dunlop’s score of 29 under par was one stroke better than South African pro Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who finished second.

However, despite defeating several professional golfers, he would not be able to take home the US$1,512,000 prize due to his amateur status.

Instead, second-place finisher Bezuidenhout would receive the first-place prize. The three players who tied for third place will be paid as if they had finished in a three-way tie for second place.

“I learned a lot today and I’m very grateful to be here.” Said x, Dunlap in an interview previously published by the PGA Tour page on Twitter. “It’s been really special to see some people support me.”

Dunlap is the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since 1991, when a young Phil Mickelson won the Tucson Open. Dunlop is also the youngest amateur player to win a tour event since 1910.

Nick Dunlop hits the fairway on the 8th hole at the La Quinta Country Club course during the third round of the American Express Golf Tournament. (Credit: Ryan Sun/AP)

Dunlap’s big win is the latest in a series of successes that indicate a bright future for the Huntsville, Alabama, golfer.

With his victory at last year’s U.S. Amateur Championship, Dunlap joined Tiger Woods as the only golfers to win both that prestigious tournament and the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, which Dunlap won in 2021.

According to PGATour.com, the win qualifies Dunlap to turn professional at any time and join the 2024 PGA Tour with automatic membership through the 2026 season. If you maintain your amateur status until the conclusion of the 2024 season, you have 30 days to declare professional for the 2025 season after the end of the 2024 season or to declare professional for the 2026 season after the end of the 2025 season. There are 30 days.

In an interview with PGA Tour Radio after his win, Dunlap admitted he was not sure what he would do next.

“I have to take a second to let what happened calm down a little bit,” the student said. “This is a decision that doesn’t just affect me. It affects a lot of people and obviously, I’m going to try to enjoy it.”