Nick Dunlap has made history by becoming the first player to capture PGA Tour victories as both an amateur and a professional within the same year, following his triumph at the Barracuda Championship.
At just 20 years old, he emerged at the top of the leaderboard, finishing ahead of fellow American Vince Whaley at the California event, which employs a points-based scoring format known as Stableford.
Dunlap carded seven birdies and an eagle during his flawless nine-under 62 final round on Sunday, accumulating 19 points and securing a two-point victory at the Tahoe Mountain Club.
Earlier in January, Dunlap became the first amateur since Phil Mickelson in 1991 to win a PGA Tour event, achieving victory at the American Express Championship.
He turned pro just a week after that win, having gained a two-year exemption on the tour and secured spots in the Masters, the US PGA Championship, and the Players Championship.
Reflecting on his rare accomplishment, Dunlap stated: “I never imagined my name would be alongside that, but it’s truly an honor.”
“Things were a bit challenging post-AmEx. You tend to lose some confidence and question whether you can replicate that success.”
By winning again, Dunlap, who has earned just over £550,000 from this latest victory, mirrored Tiger Woods’ achievement from last year by becoming only the second player to win both the US Junior Amateur and US Amateur titles.
