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
Jon Rahm putts his way to 2nd round lead at LIV Adelaide
- A two-time LIV individual season champ, Rahm is looking for his first tournament win since 2024
ADELAIDE: Jon Rahm fired a 63 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead into the third round of LIV Golf Adelaide in Australia.
Rahm posted a bogey-free round at Grange Golf Club that included seven birdies — five of them on the back nine — and an eagle on the 561-yard par-5 No. 7 hole to move to 13-under for
the tournament.
The Spaniard stands one shot ahead of Ben Campbell, who also recorded seven birdies and an eagle for his 9-under round of 63.
Bryson DeChambeau is in third place at 11-under after
shooting a 67.
Rahm can credit his success on Friday to his putting. His eagle on No. 7 was courtesy of a 47-foot putt, and he also holed five more putts of between 10 and 25 feet. He made about 150 feet
of putts. A two-time LIV individual season champ, Rahm is looking for his first tournament win
since 2024.
“I can’t remember the last time I made this many, but it was a lot — and the ones that didn’t go in looked like they were going to go in,” Rahm said. “It was a fantastic day on the greens.”
Campbell, of New Zealand, is seeking his first win in Australia as a pro. He had a contingent of family and friends
following him.
“It’s great,” Campbell said of his support system. “It’s as close to I get playing at home. Everyone has been amazing.”
Without the windy conditions of Thursday, the course played easier on Friday. The stroke average of 69.035 bested the opening round by more than
two strokes.
Thirteen different players recorded eagles or better on Friday. David Puig of Spain made the third albatross in league history with his 2 on the par-5 10th hole.
One of those eagles belonged to DeChambeau, who had an up-and-down round that also included five birdies and
two bogeys.
“I was scrambling all day, and that’s something you just can’t do if you’re trying to win a golf tournament,” DeChambeau said.
In fourth place is Anthony Kim (67 on Friday) at 10-under with Talor Gooch (63) and Branden Grace of South Africa (64) in fifth place at 9-under.
On the team front, Campbell’s round helped to propel the RangeGoats into a tie for first at 23-under with Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces, aided by Kim’s performance.
Those teams are one shot ahead of Rahm’s Legion XIII as well as Ripper GC and
Torque GC.
