“We Snapped That Thing Right Off”: After Winning All Amateur’s Dream Title, Nick Dunlap Makes a Concerning Confession

Published 08/23/2023, 3:30 PM EDT

The reigning US Amateur champion, Nick Dunlap, recently disclosed the strange circumstances that led to the damage of his prized trophy, leaving the golf community perplexed. Dunlap was persuaded to reveal his side of the tale by Smylie Kaufman, a fellow golfer and the host of a well-known podcast show, and the specifics were nothing short of astounding.

One thing is certain: Nick Dunlap’s disclosure has added a special and unexpected chapter to the illustrious history of amateur golf in the United States. The golf world is anxiously awaiting further developments on the destiny of the US Amateur Championship trophy and future design revisions.

Nick Dunlap reveals trophy mishap: The poking hazard that shattered tradition

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It all started when Smylie Kaufman, who is known for his frank and occasionally off-the-wall interviews on his podcast, questioned Dunlap about the rumors circulating regarding the trophy from the 123rd US Amateur Championship.

Without hesitation, Dunlap admitted that he had broken the trophy, saying that it had taken him around four hours to do it. Dunlap claimed that the trophy’s unique design defect, which was present considering how new it was, ultimately caused its premature end.

Kaufman shared a short video clip of his podcast show with Nick Dunlap in his Instagram story where Dunlap was seen addressing the trophy design issue, “Apparently, it’s fairly new, but they drilled this wire through the top to keep the top of it on because apparently, it just had been falling off.”

Dunlap also added, “And, it’s kind of a poking hazard. If you try to drink out of it, it’ll poke your eyes out. So you’ve got to bend it out of the way. And, yeah, we snapped that thing right off. You can’t have a wire sticking out of it. You got to move that out of the way. So, now if you tip it at all, the top just falls off.”

The US Amateur trophy has long been considered as one of the most prestigious and sought-after prizes in amateur golf, so Kaufman and his podcast listeners were in shock and astonishment upon learning the news. The trophy has a classic and exquisite design that is frequently connected to the long history and tradition of the game. The attachment of a wire to the top, however, had reportedly made it a “poking hazard” during the celebration.

Dunlap’s admission revealed the apparent design defect in the trophy, indicating that the wire was included to prevent the top from coming off during celebratory times. However, it unintentionally made drinking from the championship cup—a time-honored tradition—risky for those attempting to do so.

From rocky start to glory: Nick Dunlap’s amazing U.S. Amateur triumph

The U.S. Amateur tournament for Nick Dunlap got off to a rocky start. The Alabama sophomore had to deal with headaches and nosebleeds before the championship even started because of the dry mountain air. To make matters worse, through the first seven holes of Monday’s opening round at Colorado Golf Club, he played the wrong ball, endured an agonizing four-putt, and climbed to a frightening 5-over par.

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Dunlap’s seasoned caddie, former touring player Jeff Curl, got out his pencil in this trying time and wrote a few words of inspiration in his yardage book. Then he presented Dunlap with the message, which would later come to characterize the amazing story that developed:

“This can be an AMAZING story if you let go and LET IT HAPPEN!!!”

The conclusion to this astonishing story was written by 19-year-old Dunlap at Cherry Hills Country Club on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Even Curl could not have predicted how amazing this chapter would be. Dunlap’s decisive 4-and-3 victory over Ohio State senior Neal Shipley in the 36-hole championship match confirmed what many had been saying all week: that, after a dominant summer campaign, Dunlap had indeed reached the pinnacle of amateur golf and been given the title of the world’s best amateur golfer.

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What’s your take on Nick Dunlap’s revelation about the US Amateur Trophy? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Written by:

Arpan Ghosh is a is a fresh golf writer at EssentiallySports who was chosen in the recent round of ‘ES Draft’ for his strong enthusiasm for golf. Arpan seconds the notion that golf is a sport laced with strategy and mental tenacity, which he feels is depicted by Tiger Woods perfectly. Ghosh has also been known to indulge in some light everyday reading, with Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf being his favorite read.

Edited by:

Manaal Siddiqui

“We Snapped That Thing Right Off”: After Winning All Amateur’s Dream Title, Nick Dunlap Makes a Concerning Confession

Nick Dunlap reveals trophy mishap: The poking hazard that shattered tradition

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From rocky start to glory: Nick Dunlap’s amazing U.S. Amateur triumph