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Nick Dunlap created a historic moment at The American Express by becoming the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson in 1991.
Starting the final round at La Quinta with a three-shot lead over Sam Burns, it was really intense. In an exciting conclusion, Dunlap demonstrated impressive composure on the 18th hole, successfully making a crucial six-foot putt to secure the victory and avoid a playoff with Christiaan Bezuidenhout.
In an interview with the media, Dunlap confirmed that he felt nervous and envisioned various scenarios the day before the final round. He was aware of the potential success he could achieve and the impact it could have on his career. What Nic was certain of was that he would give his best effort and strive to reach his goal. When you’re an amateur on the verge of significant success, many factors come into play.
Ultimately, Dunlap showed calmness and maturity, shining when it mattered the most. This experience will serve as an important lesson for him and an opportunity for this performance to elevate him into the spotlight.
“I went over a scenario for today probably a million times and it’s never going to go how you plan, and it didn’t. I’m so happy to be standing here.
Honestly, I felt the script today was already written. I was going to go give it everything I had. Whether that’s I shoot 75 or 65 or 70, I just was going to give it everything I had.”– Dunlop said, as quoted by golfmonthly.com
This amateur golfer confirmed that he has never felt so great in his life. Dunlop had a difficult task ahead of him, but he confirmed to himself that he has the capacity for great things. He also emphasized that such a scenario was unimaginable a few days ago.
“Nothing like I had ever felt. It’s so cool. I told Sam numerous times, like, it is so cool to be out here and experience this as an amateur.
Whether I had made that or missed that, if you had told me on Wednesday night I would have a putt to win this golf tournament, I wouldn’t have believed you.”
As Dunlap got to the last hole, he seemed nervous, especially when his tee shot didn’t go the way he wanted and went toward the crowd on the right side of the fairway. People watching held their breath, making the game more intense. Everyone knew that Nick was on the verge of success, and, at that moment, the last thing he needed was to be nervous and jeopardize everything he had worked hard to build. This fear was present in everyone.
Later on, Dunlap shared that he thought he was winning by a lot over his competitors throughout the game. This surprised everyone because it turned out the difference in scores wasn’t as big as he believed.
He admitted that he was thinking about many things in those moments. Dunlap still doesn’t know who he hit, but he decided to apologize.
Nick Dunlap had only words of praise for his caddy, Hunter Hamrick
Dunlap gave credit to his caddie, Hunter Hamrick, for helping him secure the win, particularly with the last putt. He praised Hunter for staying calm and maintaining a positive attitude throughout the day. And this match is an indication of how important a caddy is for every golfer. When you have a person who can guide you and give you useful advice to set you on the right path, then nothing is impossible for you. Hamrick is a good example that when you have a caddy who is good at his job, then surely the golfer has a better chance of success.
Dunlap shared that Hunter reassured him by saying, “This putt is inside left, you’ve made a million of these before, it’s just another one.” This encouragement helped Dunlap approach the putt with confidence and ultimately secure the victory.
Hunter is a person who knows Dunlap well and the way he works. He motivated him during the entire event, and the support in the final round was crucial for Dunlap to achieve victory. We do not doubt that the two of them will enjoy success together in the future. Nick has enormous respect for Hunter and all that he has done for him.
Looking at the current performances of Nick, many are optimistic that the 20-year-old golfer has a great perspective. He is expected to continue as well and do great things in the future. After such a great tournament, his confidence will increase, his motivation will increase, and this can be a great introduction to great things.
