USA Today via Reuters
Jan 20, 2024; La Quinta, California, USA; Nick Dunlap chips onto the fifth green during the third round of The American Express golf tournament at La Quinta Country Club . Mandatory Credit: Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Jan 20, 2024; La Quinta, California, USA; Nick Dunlap chips onto the fifth green during the third round of The American Express golf tournament at La Quinta Country Club . Mandatory Credit: Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports
Nick Dunlap is a star in the making! The 20-year-old clinched victory at the 2024 AmEx event as an amateur golfer. This achievement registered his name alongside the likes of Phil Mickelson. Furthermore, it has granted him access to upcoming Masters tournaments. However, one thing that still eludes him is the prize money.
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Despite that, the young golfer has earned a huge spike in his OWGR, all thanks to his win. Surprisingly, this jump has positioned this amateur golfer at a better rank than most of the good LIV golfers. This will also impact his choice between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf once he decides to turn pro.
Nick Dunlap surpasses many LIV Golf players
After his PGA Tour win, Dunlap received an enormous rise in his OWGR. Before the tournament, the amateur golfer had a ranking of 4129. But with his victory, he is now sitting in 68th position! This entry in the top 100 of OWGR has propelled the 20-year-old above multiple LIV Golf players.
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That's a decent jump in ranking for Nick Dunlap. pic.twitter.com/lGeTsXFfle
— Lou Stagner (Golf Stat Pro) (@LouStagner) January 22, 2024
Now, Nick Dunlap is well ahead of prominent LIV golfers in the top 100 like Patrick Reed, Pablo Larrazabal, and Dean Burmester. Reed is currently at 87th position, Larrazábal at 94th, and Burmester is at 83rd position.
Furthermore, he has also surpassed Bryson DeChambeau (164), Dustin Johnson (189), and Ian Poulter (383). This meteoric rise will open many doors for Dunlap the moment he decides to turn pro.
Read More: Who Is Nick Dunlap’s Caddie? All You Need to Know About the Amateur’s Trusted Bagman
However, amidst this massive jump, there are speculations that the 20-year-old can opt to join LIV Golf while turning pro. This rumor started with a congratulatory message from Phil Mickelson.
Will the amateur golfer move to LIV Golf?
With his win at the PGA Tour event, Nick Dunlap became the first amateur golfer to do so after Phil Mickelson in 1991. The LIV golfer did not take long to congratulate the 20-year-old and called it an “impressive performance.”
USA Today via Reuters
Jan 21, 2024; La Quinta, California, USA; Nick Dunlap walks toward the seventeenth green during the final round of The American Express golf tournament at PGA West Stadium Course. Mandatory Credit: Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports
This praise led many fans to believe Dunlap could move to LIV Golf early in his career. However, the 20-year-old has no plans to do so right now. During the press conference after winning the 2024 AmEx title, he explained that he grew up “dreaming of playing on the PGA Tour.”
Furthermore, he even went on to say he had no intention of joining LIV Golf. It looks like the 20-year-old wants to follow in the footsteps of his idol Tiger Woods and stick with the PGA Tour.
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Written by
Edited by
Aazima Basharat