"Gutted not to get the $1.5m" - Fans react to 20-year-old Nick Dunlap winning The American Express 2024
Nick Dunlap aggregated at 29-under at the American Express, beating Christiaan Bezuidenhout by a stroke margin. He carded 2-under 70 on Sunday and lost his lead during the round, but the score was good enough to edge out the South African, who had shot 7-under 65 in the final round.
Dunlap's win at the American Express made him only the eighth amateur to win on the PGA Tour. He is also the first amateur in 33 years to do so. Since he has yet to turn professional, he will not receive the winning amount of $1.5 million and the FedExCup points. Instead, Bezuidenhout will go home with the paycheck.
Dunlap is now eligible for a PGA Tour card if he decides to turn pro. As a PGA Tour title winner, he is qualified for all the fields this season except the Signature events. If he turns pro, he is now exempt from the Masters and the PGA Championship. However, he already has an exemption at the Augusta National alongside the US Open and the Open Championship as a US Amateur Open champion.
The 20-year-old golfer received a lot of praise for his amazing achievement. However, many fans had questions about the winner's prize money. Here's a look at some of the reactions on X (formerly known as Twitter):
"Doesn't get any of the 1.5 million for winning haha got love be an amateur though!"
"Unbelievable to hold on today with all the pressure. One of the best stories in golf ever 👏🏼"
"Question, do you not hold his winnings in some sort of escrow account or a way for him to collect in the future? If not, why? Also, if not do you just disburse his share to the field? In this day is NIL etc, I hope your answer is yes he will get it in some form."
"Curious what happens to the prize money for him??"
"TWENTY YEARS OLD.. only seven amateurs have won it and the last one was @PhilMickelson in 91!"
"Only sport in the world where an amateur can beat the pros"
"He earned PGA membership thru 2026 if he decides to become a Pro before the end of 2024 👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼"
"New to golf, why is he an amateur if he is competing and winning the tour?"
"n the new NIL world, why can't this kid cash this check @ncaa? How about it goes in an escrow account and held until his eligibility runs out? Seems fair"
"Great win, but it’s hard to watch 29 under. Figure out a way to make the courses maybe a little challenging…"
"Incredible 🤯 showed some serious guts down the stretch to fight back from the double & then hold his nerve on the last 2, gonna be a serious star"
"And doesn't get $1,500,000 because he's an amateur.... but if he was an Alabama football player hed get to make $8,000,000 make it make sense"
"And I thought the amateurs didn’t have what it takes to do it any more. But I was proved wrong. Congratulations to the newest young talent this is Nick Dunlap."
How many amateurs have won on the PGA Tour before Nick Dunlap?
Fred Haas was the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour when he won the Memphis Invitational in 1945. Before Dunlap, seven players had achieved this feat, and Phil Mickelson was the last to do so in 1991.
Here are all the amateurs to win on the PGA Tour:
- Nick Dunlap: 2024 The American Express
- Phil Mickelson: 1991 Northern Telecom Open
- Scott Verplank: 1985 Western Open
- Doug Sanders: 1956 Canadian Open
- Gene Littler: 1954 San Diego Open
- Frank Stranahan: 1948 Miami Open
- Frank Stranahan: 1945 Durham War Bond Tournament
- Cary Middlecoff: 1945 North and South Open Championship
- Fred Haas: 1945 Memphis Invitational