Life changed almost overnight for Nick Dunlap — a finance student at the University of Alabama turned golf sensation. One moment he was juggling lectures and textbooks, and the next, he was standing on the 18th green at the Pete Dye Stadium Course, having just won The American Express PGA Tour event. The prize? A staggering $1.5 million. But there was just one catch: he couldn’t take a dime.
A Historic Win… With a Twist
Dunlap’s triumph in January 2024 was the kind of sports story that rarely happens. Playing on a sponsor’s exemption as an amateur, he became the first non-professional to win a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson did it in 1991 — and the second youngest winner in 90 years. It was the kind of moment every golfer dreams about.
But unlike the pros he beat, Dunlap walked away with a trophy, not a check.
“It stings a little bit,” Dunlap admitted in an interview with CNN Sports. “At the time, I don’t think I really knew what $1.5 million was… But ultimately, I got what I wanted in the end: a trophy.”
That’s because, under the rules of amateur status, he was ineligible to collect prize money — even if he earned it fair and square.
A Star in the Making
For those familiar with the amateur golf scene, Dunlap’s meteoric rise wasn’t entirely shocking. Just months before his PGA Tour breakthrough, he joined Tiger Woods as the only golfer to win both the U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Amateur titles — a rare and elite achievement.
Then he did something even Tiger never pulled off: he won a PGA Tour event as both an amateur and a professional in the same season.
Not long after his American Express win, Dunlap left college behind, turned pro, and joined the PGA Tour full-time. His professional journey started with growing pains — just one top-10 finish in six months and missed cuts in all three majors he played — but the learning curve was steep, and the potential was undeniable.
By the end of his rookie season, the once-broke college kid had earned over $3 million.
From Golf Courses to Grown-Up Life
Off the course, Dunlap faced a different kind of challenge: adulthood.
“Figuring out taxes and accountants and how to open bank accounts… that was the biggest change for me,” he said. “In college, everything is laid out for you.”
He traded student life for a place in South Florida and a crash course in real-world responsibilities — a lot to handle for someone barely out of their teens.
Still, he kept his competitive spirit intact. “I just love competing,” he said. “I miss being in the hunt and having that feeling of being nervous. My parents are both highly competitive as well, so I think I have them to blame for that!”
A Humble Star Who Still Just Wants to Have Fun
Despite being ranked among the top 50 golfers in the world, Dunlap doesn’t let the pressure consume him. He still plays mini-golf with friends, laughs at his missteps, and holds onto the joy of the game.
Take his Masters debut, for instance. Nerves got the best of him — and so did his first tee shot.
“I literally cracked some dude’s head open,” he chuckled, recalling his hooked drive into the crowd at Augusta. “He’s bleeding everywhere. I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s a good start.’”
He was cut from the tournament the next day. A rough start, sure. But Dunlap remains unfazed.
Living the Dream — With or Without the Check
Nick Dunlap’s story is more than just a tale of lost prize money. It’s about chasing a dream, overcoming challenges, and doing what you love — even if it doesn’t pay off right away.
“This is what I always wanted to do,” he said. “To play golf and get paid for it — even better. Traveling the world, seeing some of the greatest golf courses in the history of the game, and playing against the best players in the world… it’s definitely a dream.”
And while he may have missed out on that $1.5 million as an amateur, Dunlap is already proving he’ll earn much more — with interest — as a pro.
