Nick Dunlap Set to Make Professional PGA Tour Debut at Pebble Beach

While Nick Dunlap missed out on a $1.5 million payday at the American Express, he is cashing in after all.

The 20-year-old won The American Express as an amateur, and he’s now turning pro. His first event as a PGA Tour member will be the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am next week, which is a big-money Signature Event.

Dunlap’s life changed forever when he became the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event in over 30 years. The sophomore at the University of Alabama is now foregoing the rest of his college eligibility.

Nick Dunlap, who became the first amateur golfer in 33 years to win a PGA Tour event, announced he’s turning pro.

“It was always a dream of mine to play on the PGA Tour and play professionally,” he told CBS News. pic.twitter.com/Y1nwEX8vYm

— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 25, 2024

Dunlap said last week:

“A week ago today, if you told me I’d have the opportunity to live out my dream as a 20-year-old — it’s pretty surreal. But it’s also scary, there’s a lot of changes. It was the easiest, hardest decision I’ve ever had to make, by far.”

Dunlap, who was in The American Express on a sponsor’s exemption, didn’t earn any money or FedEx Cup points for the win. But it did allow him to be eligible for several events, should he turn pro:

• PGA Championship
• The Players Championship
• All of the 2024 Signature Events
• PGA Tour status through the 2026 season.

Dunlap had already qualified for the Masters, U.S. Open and the Open Championship based on his win in last year’s U.S. Amateur. He will remain entered in those events.

Cover Image via Golf Magazine