Dunlap makes history, Ko returns to winner's circle | Sunday Swing

The Sunday Swing
Jan. 21st, 2024 

This week the PGA Tour began its West Coast swing at the American Express, hosted in La Quinta, CA at the Pete Dye Stadium Course, Nicklaus Tournament Course, and La Quinta Country Club. The LPGA was also back in action this week for the start of their regular season at the HGV Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida. 

The American Express - Tournament History 

The American Express has been a staple on tour since 1960. Originally known as the Palm Springs Golf Classic, this event has seen some legendary winners over the years including Arnold Palmer (won the inaugural event), Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Fred Couples, Phil Mickelson, and Jon Rahm. This event is fairly unique as the players will compete on three different courses. Each player will play one round at the Nicklaus Tournament Course, Pete Dye Stadium Course, and La Quinta Country Club before all players to made the 54-hole cut compete on Sunday at the Stadium Course. Scoring has been historically low at this event, with recent winners making a push for 30-under par. For as low as the scoring has been, the players do have a difficult stretch to navigate as they look to close out the tournament on Sunday. The 17th hole is similar to the 17th at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass featuring an island green. The 18th is a long par-4 with water all down the left and protecting the green and bunkers down the right, requiring two precise shots to have a look at birdie. The most recent five winners are as follows: 

2024 - Nick Dunlap (a) (-29)
2023 - Jon Rahm (-27)
2022 - Hudson Swafford (-23)
2021 - Si Woo Kim (-23)
2020 - Andrew Landry (-26)

The Big Swing

The last time an amateur won on tour was in 1991 when Phil Mickelson won the Northern Telecom Open. This week, amateur Nick Dunlap who won the U.S. Amateur last summer, was in the field hoping to add his name to the short list of players to have won on tour as an amateur. Dunlap, a 20-year-old sophomore at Alabama, already has a spot in the Masters and U.S. Open thanks to his U.S. Am victory and this week he was hoping to earn tour status. In order to do so, he would have to take down some of the games best players including Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay, Justin Thomas, Sam Burns, and Xander Schaufflee. 

As expected on Thursday, scores were very low. We saw a 10-under 62 from U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson and Swede Alex Noren. Nick Dunlap shot 64 in a round where he made 2 eagles and 5 birdies and was off to an impressive start in his first tour event. Justin Thomas was making his first start of the season with optimism after struggling for the majority of last season. Thomas opened with 65 and 67 and was sitting a few shots back heading into the weekend. 

The third round on Saturday featured some incredible rounds- one by the amateur Dunlap who carded a 12-under par 60 at La Quinta Country Club making 10 birdies and an eagle with no bogeys. Justin Thomas also got hot on Saturday, as he carded a bogey free 11-under 61 making 11 birdies including a string of 6 in a row on holes 12-17 to close out his round strong. Thanks to Dunlap's impressive play, Thomas sat in 3rd trailing by three heading into the final round. Sam Burns was the other name within striking distance, sitting in 2nd just two back thanks to rounds of 66, 61, and 65. 

On Sunday the scores remained low thanks to perfect course conditions and the chase was on. The hottest player on the course was Kevin Yu from Taiwan. Yu shot 66 in each of his first three rounds, but birdies six of the first nine holes on Sunday to surge up the leaderboard. He got it to 10-under on the day after 16 holes, but stumbled on 18 with a bogey and would end up with a T3. South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout was also going low on Sunday, carding a 65 highlighted by an eagle hole out at the par-4 15th. The final group was treading water early in the round and after Dunlap made a double bogey at the 7th, Sam Burns was able to grab a share of the lead. The duo who was playing alongside Justin Thomas would battle throughout the afternoon until the door opened for the amateur at the 17th when Burns’ tee ball found the water resulting in a double bogey. Dunlap was able to find the green and make par, giving himself a one shot lead over Bezuidenhout heading into the 72nd hole. After a wayward drive and approach shot, Dunlap chipped across the green to just inside 6-feet which would ultimately be the winning putt. 

After knocking it in, Dunlap became just the ninth player in the history of the PGA Tour to win as an amateur. If he chooses to turn professional, he will be exempt on the PGA Tour through the 2026 season, and is eligible for the remaining 7 signature events this season. Rounding out the top-5 was Bezuidenhout (2nd), Kevin Yu (T3), Xander Schauffele (T3), and Justin Thomas (T3).

Winner’s Bag - Nick Dunlap

20-year old Nick Dunlap made history on Sunday becoming the 2nd youngest player to ever win on Tour. To do so, he employed a fun, mixed bag of clubs. Off the tee, Dunlap is gaming Taylormade’s newest driver, the Qi10 LS (9 degrees). He only carries one fairway wood, a Ping G425 LST (14.5 degrees). The middle of the bag features a Srixon ZX Utility 3 iron, followed by a set of Taylormade P7MC irons (4-PW). Dunlap employs last generation Taylormade wedges, the MG3’s (52, 56, and 60 degrees). On the greens, Dunlap rolls a rather vintage putter- the Odyssey O-Works #7 Tank. 

In the World of Women’s Golf 

This week the LPGA Tour was back in action for the start of their 2024 campaign. From Lake Hona Country Club in Orlando, Florida the ladies best were hoping to get off to a hot start at the HGV Tournament of Champions. Similar to the Sentry on the PGA Tour, the HGV is a condensed field featuring the winners from the season prior. Former current world no. 1 and current world no. 12 Lydia Ko was able to start strong with a statement win to kick off the 2024 season. To do so, she had to hold off the likes of 19-year-old Alexa Pano, and veteran Brooke Henderson. Opening with rounds of 69, 67, and 68, Ko came into Sunday with a 2-shot lead of Pano, who fired a 67 on moving day to get within reach of her 2nd title. On Sunday, Ko made 4 birdies along with a pair of bogeys to card a 2-under 70 which was good enough to finish two clear of Pano, who finished hot but also carded 70. Brooke Henderson made a big move on Sunday after she carded a 4-under 68. Other notables to play well were Rose Xhang (T7), Charley Hull (T7), and Leona Maguire (T12). Next week the ladies will head to Bradenton, FL for their first full-field event, the LPGA Drive on Championship.