Nick Dunlap has turned 21! The Huntsville local has had a splendid rookie year at the PGA Tour having already captured his first and second wins. He kicked off the year as an amateur player and has blossomed through every event.

In the 15 cuts that he has made in the 2024 season, Dunlap has managed to finish in the top 25 a total of 7 times, 4 of which were at the 10th or under spot. That’s some record for a pro who only got acquainted with the PGA Tour less than a year ago.

Along the way, the 21-year-old has also managed to break a few records this season. So let’s take a look at 3 instances where Nick Dunlap proved to the world that he is going to be the next big thing in golf.

First amateur to win at the Tour since 1991

Back in January 2024, Nick Dunlap joined the field at the PGA WEST Private Clubhouse & Golf Courses as an amateur player. He was lined up with the likes of Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, and Scottie Scheffler at The American Express 2024. With such an impressive field, fans were expecting an exciting showdown between the top-ranked players in the world. However, no one would have imagined what happened in the end.

Beating all odds, Nick Dunlap showcased impeccable strokeplay to dominate the field. From day one itself, the golfer from Tuscaloosa, Alabama managed to draw impressive scores. His best performance came in the 3rd round, where he managed to hit 10 birdies and an eagle to end the day 12-under par 60. This performance ensured that his 7th-hole double bogey in the 4th round did not ruin his chances of winning the tournament. With that, Nick Dunlap became the first amateur golfer to win a PGA Tour event since 1991 when Phil Mickelson achieved the same feat, but the eighth amateur overall.

Record breaking win

Back in July 2024, all eyes were set on the Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Club in Troon, South Ayrshire. Fans were witnessing Xander Schauffele’s incredible strokes that helped him ward off threats from Justin Rose & Billy Horschel to win the 2nd major of the year and his career. But at the same time, Nick Dunlap was participating in another PGA Tour event, the Barracuda Championship. As both events were being played simultaneously, fans were not focused on the record-breaking achievement of the then-20-year-old.

Not an amateur golfer anymore, Dunlap came into the tournament with only 1 goal in mind, victory. And so he did, capturing his first PGA Tour win as a professional golf player. What may seem like any other ordinary victory at first was actually a new record set by Nick Dunlap. He became the first golfer in the history of the PGA Tour to win events as an amateur and a pro in the same year.

Youngest rookie since 2013

There is no doubt that Nick Dunlap had an incredible rookie season on the PGA Tour. His performances in 2024 were so good that he can be compared to another golf great who had a brilliant rookie season, Jordan Spieth. So it didn’t come as a surprise when Nick Dunlap matched Spieth’s record of becoming the youngest pro to win the Rookie of the Season award since 2013.

Interestingly though, both Dunlap & Spieth played the same number of events in their rookie season; i.e. 23. The 2024 American Express winner had 1 more victory to his name than that of the 2015 Masters Tournament champion. However, Spieth did have a much better year overall getting 9 top-10 finishes which included 3 runner-ups.

There is no doubt Nick Dunlap is in line to be one of the biggest stars in the PGA Tour. There is no doubt that he would be hungry for many more victories in the coming season. It will be interesting to see how the 21-year-old man from Huntsville performs in 2025.

How many more titles do you think Nick Dunlap will win in the 2025 season of the PGA Tour? Share your views in the comments section.