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LA QUINTA, Calif. — Nick Dunlap turned the primary novice in 33 years to win on the PGA Tour, making a 6-foot par putt on the ultimate gap for a one-shot victory over Christiaan Bezuidenhout at The American Specific on Sunday.
Dunlap, the 20-year-old College of Alabama sophomore and reigning U.S. Beginner champion, is the primary novice winner since Phil Mickelson on the Tucson Open in 1991. Enjoying in simply his fourth tour occasion, he turned solely the seventh novice winner since 1945 — and the third since 1957.
The one novice within the 156-player subject within the event lengthy referred to as the Bob Hope Desert Basic, Dunlap surged right into a three-shot lead with a scorching 60 within the third spherical. He misplaced that lead Sunday on the entrance 9 on the Stadium Course at PGA West, however he performed with the resilience of a seasoned veteran down the stretch, capped by his restoration from two errant photographs on the 18th for the successful par.
“Nothing like I’ve ever felt,” Dunlap mentioned. “It was so cool to be out right here and expertise this as an novice. Whether or not I had made that or missed that (final putt), in case you would have advised me (on) Wednesday evening I’d have a putt to win this golf event, I wouldn’t imagine you.”
He ended up with a 2-under 70 to complete at 29-under 259 and break the event scoring document as a 72-hole occasion. He is additionally the youngest winner within the occasion’s historical past, and he turned the youngest novice to win on the tour since 1910.
Bezuidenhout birdied the 18th within the group forward to maintain stress on Dunlap, whose tee shot landed excessive within the tough. His second shot wasn’t rather more correct, and it might need hit a spectator earlier than it took a lucky roll from the tough right into a grassy drainage space off the inexperienced.
Dunlap acquired inside 6 toes together with his third shot, and he celebrated the par putt for the title with hugs from his dad and mom, his girlfriend and his faculty coach, Jay Seawell, who all flew cross-country over the weekend to look at in particular person.
Dunlap and Tiger Woods are the one golfers to win each the U.S. Beginner and the U.S. Junior Beginner. Whereas Dunlap acquired the celebration Sunday for one of the vital spectacular performances in current golf historical past, he would not get the $1.5 million first-place prize, which fits to Bezuidenhout after the South African’s final-round 65.
Dunlap additionally doesn’t get the five hundred FedEx Cup factors — however his rewards are nonetheless ample. If he stays at Alabama he will get within the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open because the U.S. Beginner champion. If he turns professional and joins the PGA Tour, he nonetheless will get within the Masters and U.S. Open, together with the remaining seven $20 million signature occasions on tour.
“It’s wonderful,” Bezuidenhout mentioned of Dunlap’s achievement. “Really, I heard his title final yr when he received the U.S. Beginner. He’s clearly a hell of a participant, and congrats to him. Hopefully he might be out on the PGA Tour quickly, and all of us can get to play with him.”
Dunlap and his dad and mom each mentioned they hadn’t instantly determined what he’ll do subsequent — however his meteoric profession hit yet one more top within the Coachella Valley.
Dunlap confirmed psychological toughness whereas taking part in by means of apparent nerves in his remaining spherical. His three-shot lead vanished suddenly when he put his tee shot into the water and double-bogeyed the seventh whereas Sam Burns birdied it.
“We hadn’t confronted a lot adversity but, and hitting my ball within the water on seven, it examined every part I had,” Dunlap mentioned. “I missed a pair putts that I believed I used to be going to make. … It’s by no means going to go how you intend, and it didn’t. I’m so joyful to be standing right here.”
Dunlap coolly rebounded and battled Burns down the stretch, pulling even with a birdie on the sixteenth.
After which Burns was the one who flinched, fully lacking the famed island inexperienced on the seventeenth and hitting the water together with his 164-yard drive. He additionally missed a 26-foot bogey putt, abruptly handing a two-shot result in Dunlap going to the 18th.
Dunlap thought he nonetheless had a two-stroke lead when he teed it up, since he and his caddie didn’t examine the leaderboard or see Bezuidenhout’s birdie. His first two errant photographs heightened the stress, however Dunlap got here by means of with the most important par of his life.
“I feel I hit any individual” with the second shot, Dunlap mentioned. “I’m sorry. I don’t know who that was. However acquired an amazing break and was in a position to give myself an excellent look.”
Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele and Kevin Yu tied for third at 27 beneath. Burns led the occasion after two rounds with a career-low 61, and he was tied with two holes to play Sunday earlier than hitting into the water on every of his remaining two holes and carding back-to-back double bogeys, ending in a tie for sixth.
___ AP golf: https://apnews.com/golf
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