‘Comes Off Really Cocky’: Tiger Woods Inspired Nick Dunlap Boldly Confesses His True LIV Golf Emotions Amid Future Concerns

Phil Mikelson’s praise for the 2024 American Express winner had LIV Golf admirers harboring dreams of Nick Dunlap joining the breakaway league. However, crushing the hopes of LIV enthusiasts, the 20-year-old has come forward with his stance on becoming the fresh face of the circuit. Over the past two years, many names have been rumored to join LIV Golf.

Some became true, while many were deemed to be just mere assumptions. Dunlap, as the rising star on the PGA Tour, was asked a question about his foreseeable defection to LIV Golf, and the amateur golfer did not shy away from revealing his all-time dreams and went on to discard the LIV deal.

Nick Dunlap reveals his LIV Golf plans

Nick Dunlap had set the record as the only amateur golfer to win on the PGA Tour after Phil Mickelson did in 1991. The historic victory on the Tour has garnered him much praise and raised questions about his future. At the post-win presser, Dunlap was asked if he was approached by LIV Golf.

The Alabama native quickly explained that he was unaware of any such deals made by the breakaway league. Although he has Kevin Canning as his representative (who also represents LIV golfers), Dunlap has not been contacted by them. And even if they did, Dunlap explained that he grew up “dreaming of playing on the PGA Tour” and had no intention of joining LIV Golf.

Furthermore, he expressed how it has been an absolute dream to make a winning putt on the Tour as he did hours ago. Dunlap said, “I’ve always tried to chase something that nobody else has done,” which became a source of motivation for the young golfer. Continuing, he described that he wants to do “something special” and “memorable” in his career on the Tour.

At the age of 20, Dunlap wanted to start building a legacy that “somebody else to try to follow and gauge at.” Although he matched the record of Lefty, the inspiration behind Dunlap’s fascinating goals was none other than the GOAT, Tiger Woods.

Nick Dunlap shares his admiration for Tiger Woods

The 20-year-old golfer became the first reigning U.S. Amateur champion to win on the PGA Tour after Tiger Woods (1996). This was another record he matched, and it seems it was the plan all along. Dunlap stated that he might never achieve what Woods has, but he is always “trying to chase him.”

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Moreover, the 2024 AmEx winner said that even though that’s a high bar he has set for himself and may “comes off really cocky or not,” he takes Woods as the “greatest ever.” So, Dunlap would always try to match Woods’s legacy and hope to be in a similar conversation as the 15-time major champion has been in.

Dunlap declared that his reason for playing as impressively as he did was to come closer to his dream of being like Woods, and “it’s why I do what I do.” The maiden victory is only the beginning for Dunlap. With the bar set to the highest, it will be interesting to see how he will perform at the next event on Torrey Pines and if he will make another record in the future.

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