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Dunlap, 20, won The American Express as an
amateur in January and turned pro one week later. That win
didn't qualify him for the Open Championship, so he played the
PGA Tour's lone Modified Stableford event this week and scored a
total of 49 points.
Under Modified Stableford scoring, birdies are worth two points,
eagles are worth five and albatrosses are worth eight. Each par
is zero points, while bogeys are minus-1 point and double bogey
or anything worse is worth minus-3.
Dunlap's bogey-free, 9-under 62 in the final round featured
seven birdies and one massive eagle, totaling 19 points. The
eagle came at the par-5 15th, where he swept a right-to-left
putt from across the green and watched it drop into the right
side of the cup.
"After I made the putt on 15, we started playing through some
serious adrenaline," Dunlap said on the Golf Channel broadcast.
That single shot leapfrogged Dunlap over three players and into
the outright lead, and his final birdie at the par-4 17th hole
provided some much-needed insurance. Mac Meissner and Vince
Whaley arrived at the par-4 18th behind Dunlap by four points,
needing an eagle to win, and neither came close.
Dunlap is the first player to ever win on the PGA Tour as an
amateur and a pro in the same season.
"Never even thought that was a possibility, to be honest with
you," Dunlap said. "I gotta thank my team. They're so
supportive. After Amex, kind of went through a little rough
spell and they've always had my back and (caddie Hunter Hamrick
has) been there the entire time and I'm very happy to be here."
Whaley birdied the final hole to finish alone in second at
plus-47. Patrick Fishburn placed third at plus-46, and Meissner,
the 54-hole leader, only scored five points Sunday to slip into
fourth at plus-44.
Patrick Rodgers and Canadian Taylor Pendrith tied for fifth at
plus-43.
--Field Level Media [© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights
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