TRUCKEE, California: Nick Dunlap became the first player in PGA Tour history to win as an amateur and a professional in the same year, rallying Sunday for a two-point victory in the Barracuda Championship.
In January at The American Express in La Quinta, the 20-year-old Dunlap — then a sophomore at the University of Alabama — became the eighth amateur to win a tour event and the first in 33 years. He turned professional days later.
“I never thought that I would have my name next to that, but it’s definitely an honor,” Dunlap said about the amateur-pro double. “It’s been a little tough after AmEx. You kind of lose a little bit of confidence and wonder if you can do it again.”
On Sunday at Tahoe Mountain Club in the only PGA Tour event that uses the modified Stableford scoring system, Dunlap took the lead with a 55-foot eagle putt on the par-5 15th.
Players receive eight points for a double eagle, five for eagle and two for birdie. A point is deducted for bogey and three for double bogey.
“I hadn’t made an eagle yet this week, so that was kind of the goal, and just play aggressive, not reckless,” Dunlap said. “This course, it allows you to make a lot of birdies if you’re in position.”
Dunlap added a birdie on the par-4 17th, cutting the dogleg with a 304-yard drive and chipping to 3 feet.
Nine points behind leader Mac Meissner entering the day, Dunlap had 19 points in the bogey-free round to finish with 49. He birdied six of the first 12 holes on the tree-lined Old Greenwood course.
“The only sour thing about this is that winning moment goes quickly,” Dunlap said. “It doesn’t stay as long as you may think, just because tomorrow I’m flying to Minnesota and trying to repeat and do the exact same thing.”
Vince Whaley finished second, making a 17-foot birdie putt on par-4 18th for a nine-point day.
“I didn’t hit it very good the whole day and I kind of kept myself in it with the short game,” Whaley said. “Then missed a couple I felt like I could have made coming in.”
Patrick Fishburn had 46 points, holing a 10-footer for birdie on 18 to cap a 12-point round.
“It was a great week,” Fishburn said. “This is probably one of my favorite stops of the year.”
Meissner was fourth at 44. He closed a five-point round with a bogey.
“I’m definitely pretty bummed,” Meissner said. “It was a frustrating day. I had a couple good looks early for birdie through the first 10 holes and didn’t capitalize. It was just tough.”
Taylor Pendrith and Patrick Rodgers tied for fifth at 43.
With two events left in the regular season, Dunlap jumped from 95th to 63rd in the FedEx Cup standings. The top 70 will advance to the playoffs.
“It’s been a goal,” Dunlap said. “It’s, honestly, one of the reasons I played here.”
Dunlap becomes first player in PGA Tour history to win as an amateur and a pro in the same year
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Dunlap becomes first player in PGA Tour history to win as an amateur and a pro in the same year
- On Sunday at Tahoe Mountain Club in the only PGA Tour event that uses the modified Stableford scoring system, Dunlap took the lead with a 55-foot eagle putt on the par-5 15th
Patrick Reed hits flawless 66 to lead Dubai Desert Classic
- American finished second at Emirates Golf Club in 2023 and in the top 10 last year
DUBAI: Patrick Reed produced a flawless round of 66 to earn a one-shot lead at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
The American has a great track record around Emirates Golf Club, finishing as runner-up in 2023 and in the top 10 last year.
Reed began the second round just four shots adrift of overnight leader Francesco Molinari, but he was soon level with the Italian after two birdies and an eagle on his front nine.
Two more birdies came at the first and third to reach nine under before parring his way home for a blemish-free 66.
He sits one clear of Englishman Andy Sullivan, who carded the joint lowest round of the week with a brilliant seven-under 65.
“The game felt good. Kind of went out there and gave myself a lot of good looks, good opportunities and only missing one green today, that definitely helps,” Reed said.
“You’re able to do that around this type of golf course, you’re able to shoot a number and I was lucky enough to see a couple putts go in early and it just went from there.
“The golf course is definitely a little bit more gettable in the morning, especially a day like today because the greens are a little bit more receptive.”
Reed, starting on the back nine, made his climb with a birdie from the fringe at the 12th and was one shot behind thanks to a 42-foot eagle putt at the 13th.
He left himself seven feet at the 17th for birdie and when he drained the putt, he was co-leader at seven under.
The 2018 Masters Tournament winner hit the front on his own following a four-foot putt at the first, and he stretched his advantage to two with another birdie at the third.
Reed could not improve his score as he closed with six straight pars, with the late-starters on course.
Mikael Lindberg, who has not missed a cut since the Nexo Championship in August, continued his rich vein of recent form by closing the gap on Reed to one.
The Swede birdied three of his first four holes to climb to eight under, but successive bogeys from the first set him back.
He returned to seven under with a birdie at the third, only to drop shots at the sixth and eighth to slip back.
Sullivan kickstarted his tournament with four straight birdies from the third before adding another at the ninth to reach the turn in 30.
A sixth birdie of the day propelled him to seven under, only to go bogey-birdie-bogey from the 12th to stall him momentum.
Another dropped shot at the 16th could have derailed the 38-year-old, but Sullivan birdied the 17th before a stunning second shot into the last set up a closing eagle to jump up to eight under.
Italian pair Molinari and Andrea Pavan were one shot back, while Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard birdied five holes on the back nine for a bogey-free 67 to sit in solo fifth at six under.
Race to Dubai Rankings delivered by DP World leader Jayden Schaper carded a 68 to finish at five under alongside fellow South African Hennie du Plessis, Lindberg and Finland’s Oliver Lindell and defending champion Tyrrell Hatton.
