Amateur on cusp of breaking Mickelson's PGA Tour record having matched Woods

21 January 2024 , 11:44

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Nicholas Dunlap has a three-shot lead (Image: Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

19-year-old college star Nick Dunlap is on the brink of becoming the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson 31 years ago in 1991.

Dunlap is in the field at this week's American Express in California, and heads into Sunday's final round three shots ahead of second-place Sam Burns at the top of the leaderboard. The youngster finds himself there after carding a remarkable 12-under-par round of 60 on Saturday.

Dunlap made 10 birdies and one eagle during his third round masterclass, to put himself 18 holes away from PGA Tour history heading into the fourth and final round.

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The teenager is already no stranger to the limelight, after being crowned U.S. Amateur champion last summer. In doing so Dunlap became only the second golfer to win both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Junior Amateur, alongside the arguably the sport's greatest ever player in Tiger Woods.

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Now the 19-year-old has his sights set on matching Woods' great rival Mickelson too, who won his first PGA Tour event at the 1991 Northern Telecom Open before turning pro. Unsurprisingly Dunlap enjoyed himself out on the course during Saturday's third round.

Speaking afterwards, he said: "It was a blast. Honestly, like my caddie Hunter said it a million times today, there's no time like the present. I think it's easy -- the putter felt so good. Everything -- the hole looked like a funnel. You got a par-five next hole, I'm going to do this and this.

Dunlap has the chance to match Phil Mickelson's record (2024 Getty Images)

"He did a really good job of keeping me settled and keeping me where I was. Ultimately, just kind of kept putting shots together and ended up with a pretty good round."

There is still plenty of work to do for the youngster, with two of the PGA Tour's biggest names breathing down his neck.

Ryder Cup star Burns finds himself three shots adrift, whilst multiple major champion Justin Thomas is a further shot back after carding an 11-under 61 of his own. Asked what it would mean to get over the line come Sunday evening, Dunlap added: "Gosh, I don't know that I can put it into words.

"I think it's easy to go there, but I think -- I don't know. It's going to be hard, it's going to be something that I haven't experienced yet, obviously, on the PGA Tour. We've got a good game plan for that golf course, and just kind of go out there and do us and stay in the present, like Hunter says, and go from there."

Joshua Lees