Reigning US Novice champion Nick Dunlap grew to become the primary newbie since 1991 to win a PGA Tour title, successful a back-nine showdown to seize the American Categorical event.
Dunlap, a 20-year-old sophomore on the College of Alabama, sank the successful par putt from simply inside six toes on the 18th gap to fireside a two-under-par 70 on the Pete Dye Stadium Course — certainly one of three programs used this week.
Regardless of his victory nonetheless, Dunlap is not going to take dwelling any cash from the win. As an newbie, he’s ineligible for the winner’s prize of $1.51 million ($A2.3m), which works to runner-up Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who completed on 260 after a closing 65.
Dunlap completed on 29-under 259 to set a 72-hole report low successful rating, breaking the mark of 28-under set by Patrick Reed in 2014.
He’s the youngest newbie to win on the PGA Tour since 1910.
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“I felt this script at this time was already written,” Dunlap mentioned.
“I used to be going to present it every part I had whether or not I shoot 75 or 65 or 70.”
Dunlap grew to become the primary newbie to win a US PGA Tour occasion since Phil Mickelson captured the 1991 Northern Telecom Open in Tucson, Arizona.
Dunlap additionally grew to become the second-youngest PGA Tour winner prior to now 90 years, trailing solely Jordan Spieth’s victory at 19 on the 2013 John Deere Traditional.
The historic victory didn’t come with out tension-packed drama. Dunlap sank a birdie putt on the par-5 sixteenth to share the lead with Twenty fourth-ranked American Sam Burns, who discovered water off the tee on the par-3 seventeenth on the day’s hardest gap whereas Dunlap was on the inexperienced 35 toes from the outlet.
Dunlap made a routine par whereas Burns stumbled with a double bogey and the newbie led by two with the par-4 18th remaining.
However forward of him on the 18th inexperienced, South Africa’s Bezuidenhout birdied to drag inside one.
At 18, Dunlap’s tee shot went means into the proper tough and his strategy stopped 75 toes from the outlet down a slope.
Dunlap pitched his third to simply inside six toes after which sank his par putt for the victory
“Nothing like I’ve ever felt,” Dunlap mentioned.
“It’s so cool to be out right here and expertise this as an newbie.
“Whether or not I had made that or missed that, if you happen to would have advised me Wednesday evening I’d have a putt to win this golf event, I wouldn’t imagine you.”
Sharing third on 261 had been Taiwan’s Kevin Yu, who matched his career-low PGA spherical with a 63, and Individuals Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas.
Regardless of lacking out on the winner’s verify, Dunlap will turn out to be eligible to take PGA Tour membership at any time within the 2024 PGA marketing campaign.
Then he would obtain the advantages of any PGA Tour winner, which embrace membership by the 2026 season plus entries into the Masters and PGA Championship and any unplayed “signature” occasions.
Dunlap already has berths on this yr’s Masters, PGA and British Open from his US Novice triumph if he’s an newbie when the occasions tee off.