"Just relief, honestly"- Nick Dunlap recalls his emotions after just making the cut into the BMW Championship
Nick Dunlap was one of the players who came into the FedEx St. Jude Championship ranked outside the top 50 in the FedEx Cup. With a tie for fifth place, he secured his spot in the next round and climbed to 48th in the standings.
Following his fourth round at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Dunlap shared his thoughts on the moment during a press conference.
This was part of what Nick Dunlap had to say (via ASAP Sports):
"I was a train wreck. I'm not going to lie to you. I was arguably the most nervous I've ever been, to be honest. I just didn't want the season to end. I've been having so much fun..."
The 20-year-old also expressed his excitement after learning he had secured a spot in the Top 50.
"Just relief, honestly. A lot of hard work. I kind of knew what I needed to do for this week, just to kind of keep the season going. Like I said, I've been having so much fun, and it's another week to go try to learn and go try to play good," he said.
Nick Dunlap finished the FedEx St. Jude Championship tied for 5th place with Sam Burns, both at 13-under. This earned him 420 FedEx Cup points, enough to crack the top 50.
Nick Dunlap's 2024 season at a glance
Nick Dunlap's rookie season on the PGA Tour has been nothing short of spectacular. With two tournament wins under his belt, including one as an amateur, he has made a remarkable surge into the top 50 of the FedEx Cup.
His rookie PGA Tour season officially started at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, as his previous win at the American Express came as an amateur. In his first professional tournament, he finished 80th with a 7-over score.
Since then, Dunlap has played in 19 other PGA Tour events, making 11 cuts. He clinched another victory in July (the Barracuda Championship) and had two other top-10 finishes, including the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
The American's rookie season has been inconsistent. Despite missing eight cuts, four of which came at the most challenging tournaments (the Masters, PGA Championship, US Open, and The Players Championship), he has shown flashes of brilliance.
Despite winning twice, Dunlap's FedEx Cup standing was compromised. His American Express victory, as an amateur, earned no points, and his Barracuda Championship win yielded only 300 points as it was a reverse event.
Therefore, the only way he could make it into the top 50 was to do well in Memphis, which he did. By joining this select group, he automatically qualifies for the eight Signature Events next season, paving the way for him to compete in the majors.