“I plan to return home” - Nick Dunlap withdraws from Farmers Insurance Open after “life-changing” 24 hours, cites personal reasons
After a stunning victory last weekend, Nick Dunlap has withdrawn from his next appearance on tour. The amateur golfer won the American Express with a magnificent effort and took home the trophy. His next stop was about to be the Farmers Insurance Open, but he decided to withdraw from the event.
He has cited personal reasons behind his decision. It's been a bit of a whirlwind past few days for him as he went from relative unknown to winning golfer.
Nick Dunlap said (via NUCLR GOLF on X):
“After a life changing last 24 hours, I’ve decided to withdraw from the Farmers Insurance Open. I plan to return home to Alabama to be with family, friends and teammates. Thank you to Farmers Insurance Open and The American Express for giving me these opportunities.”
Dunlap is undeniably going through an unfamiliar experience. He did something no one has done since Phil Mickelson did 33 years ago, so he's suddenly on top of the world.
He also beat top golfers like Scottie Scheffler, Sam Burns, Justin Thomas, Justin Thomas and Tony Finau. For an amateur to be at the top of a field full of guys like that is huge and Dunlap may need a bit of time to process it all.
After winning the American Express and becoming the only amateur to do this in the last 30 years, he said (via Yahoo! Sports):
"It's so cool. I told Sam numerous times, like, it is so cool to be out here and experience this as an amateur. Whether I had made that or missed that, if you would have told me that, you know, come Wednesday night I would have a putt to win this golf tournament, I wouldn't believe you."
It was an impressive performance, one that begets a bit of a break for a college sophomore who's not even a full member of the PGA Tour just yet.
LIV Golfers congratulate Nick Dunlap on impressive win
The golf world took notice of Nick Dunlap's win. Phil Mickelson, LIV Golf star and the person who last achieved what Dunlap did, took to social media to offer his congratulations. It prompted fans to wonder if an LIV move is in the works, but either way, Mickelson was proud.
Mickelson said:
"Such an impressive performance by Nick Dunlap. Congratulations on an incredible win. This is just the beginning."
He wasn't the only player on the rebel tour to say something, though as Jon Rahm also offered up a major compliment to the amateur, writing on X:
"What an amazing accomplishment by Nick Dunlap, stellar play and way to pull through under pressure to join a very selective group of players to win PGA tour events as an amateur! Great future ahead of this great talent! Congratulations."