Daily Times

LA QUINTA: Nick Dunlap became the first amateur in 33 years to win on the PGA Tour, making a 6-foot par putt on the final hole for a one-shot victory over Christiaan Bezuidenhout at The American Express on Sunday. Dunlap, the 20-year-old University of Alabama sophomore and reigning U.S. Amateur champion, is the first amateur winner since Phil Mickelson at the Tucson Open in 1991. Playing in just his fourth tour event, he became only the seventh amateur winner since 1945 – and the third since 1957.

The only amateur in the 156-player field in the tournament long known as the Bob Hope Desert Classic, Dunlap surged into a three-shot lead with a sizzling 60 in the third round. He lost that lead Sunday on the front nine on the Stadium Course at PGA West, but he played with the resilience of a seasoned veteran down the stretch, capped by his recovery from two errant shots on the 18th for the winning par.

He ended up with a 2-under 70 to finish at 29-under 259 and break the tournament scoring record as a 72-hole event. He´s also the youngest winner in the event´s history, and he became the youngest amateur to win on the tour since 1910.

Dunlap also doesn´t get the 500 FedEx Cup points – but his rewards are still ample. If he stays at Alabama he gets in the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open as the U.S.

Amateur champion. If he turns pro and joins the PGA Tour, he still gets in the Masters and U.S. Open, along with the remaining seven $20 million signature events on tour. Bezuidenhout closed with a 65.