US golfer Nick Dunlap won The American Express tournament by one shot to become the first amateur to secure a victory on the PGA Tour in 33 years.
The victory makes Dunlap the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson back in 1991. At 20 years old, he is the youngest winning amateur since 1910.
The second-year University of Alabama student sank a birdie putt at the par-five 16th to equal the lead of fellow US player Sam Burns at the Pete Dye Stadium Course in La Quinta, California.
Burns then stumbled on the day’s toughest hole, finding water off the tee at the par-three 17th.
At that time, Dunlap was on the green 35 feet from the hole. He went on to make a routine par, while Burns came out with a double bogey.
The amateur took the lead with the par-four 18th remaining, while on the 18th green, South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout birdied to pull within one.
Dunlap with The American Express trophy
Dunlap pulled his tee shot into the right rough, but recovered with his approach to tap in for par and claim victory with a 72-hole record low winning score of 29 under 259.
He broke the benchmark of 28 under set by US golfer Patrick Reed in 2014.
A roar of delight after sinking the winning putt on the 18th
“Nothing like I’ve ever felt,” Dunlap said of his winning putt on the 18th.
“It was so cool to be out here and experience this as an amateur. Whether I had made that or missed that, if you would have told me (on) Wednesday night I would have a putt to win this golf tournament, I wouldn’t believe you.”
The 20-year-old added: “Everybody’s got doubts.
“I probably had a thousand different scenarios in my head of how today was going to go, and it went nothing like I expected. I think that was the cool part about it. That’s golf.”
Dunlap celebrates the historic triumph with his parents
While he will not collect the £1.18m ($1.5m) prize money, he has secured his PGA Tour card for two years.
Last year, Dunlap became the only player other than Tiger Woods to claim both titles of US Junior Amateur and US Amateur.
The PGA Tour now heads to Torrey Pines for the Farmers Insurance Open, with a Wednesday start in San Diego. Watch all four days live on Sky Sports Golf. Stream PGA Tour golf and more on NOW
Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland
