FedExCup update: Wild year continues for Nick Dunlap, who’s looking for return to Colorado where it all began

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – In the time it takes the Earth to orbit the Sun, Nick Dunlap’s life has completely changed.

Just 365 days ago, Nick Dunlap beat Jackson Koivun in extra holes in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills Country Club in the Denver suburbs. Once 2-down in the match, he made a comeback against Koivun and went on to win the 2023 U.S. Amateur. It was a historic win, with Dunlap joining Tiger Woods as the only players to win both the U.S. Junior and U.S. Amateur.

Dunlap has been watching the U.S. Amateur this week in his hotel room, remembering that he could have been there as the tournament’s defending champion. Instead, he’s a two-time PGA TOUR winner with an opportunity to catapult his way to the TOUR Championship.

“I should be playing the U.S. Am this week, and I just got done playing a round of golf with Scottie (Scheffler). It was pretty cool,” Dunlap said after shooting a third-round 66 to sit in second place, five shots back of leader Hideki Matsuyama, entering the final round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He arrived at the first event of the FedExCup Playoffs ranked 67th in the standings but now is projected at No. 12, a position that would guarantee him a spot at the TOUR Championship if he can maintain it Sunday.

Dunlap beat Scheffler by three shots Saturday, leaving the world No. 1 impressed with his occasional practice round partner.

“He's talented across the board,” Scheffler said after the third round. “... He's got all the tools to be a great player out here, and you've obviously seen that so far this year with both of his wins. Yeah, he came out ready to play, and he's got all the talent in the world, and yeah, I think we're going to be seeing him for a long time.”

The 20-year-old has had an incredible run to make it to the FedExCup Playoffs. After his U.S. Amateur win, he was part of victorious U.S. teams at the Walker Cup and World Amateur Team Championship, shot a record-tying 60 in a college tournament and won the SEC Stroke Play hosted by Jerry Pate. He won The American Express in January, becoming the first amateur in more than three decades to win on the PGA TOUR, and just the third since 1957. He then became the first to win as both an amateur and a professional win the same season when he won last months’ Barracuda Championship to earn a spot in the Playoffs.

Sitting outside the top-50 bubble (No. 67) and partnered with the FedExCup leader, as well as a resurgent Justin Rose, Dunlap looked unphased on the front nine at TPC Southwind. He started the day with strong approaches on the first two holes, hitting both within 9 feet for back-to-back birdies. After scaring the hole with his approach on the seventh for tap-in range, Dunlap hit another iron shot at the ninth to make birdie and make the turn at 4-under for the day.

But it was a tale of two nines.

“Played great, honestly, the front nine, and for whatever happened on the back, I just hit some really loose shots and the putter kept me in it,” Dunlap said. “Hit some good chips, and it all added up to even par.”

The Alabama alum rode his luck coming in. As his hand slipped off the club during the tee shot at the water lined par-4 12th, all he could do was watch and then reach for a new ball. But his tee shot actually finished across the lake right of the hole and he was able to navigate the hole with an unlikely par. Despite a bogey at the following hole, he birdied the par-5 16th to earn a spot in the final group Sunday and get in position to move onto the BMW Championship.

“It's honestly incredible, and I never would have thought I'd be standing here,” Dunlap said. “But I am. I'm very fortunate.”

Classes start next week in Tuscaloosa and Dunlap would have been entering his junior year at the University of Alabama if not for his PGA TOUR success. Instead, he’s standing firmly near the top of a PGA TOUR leaderboard yet again and is looking up flights to Colorado where this wild year all began for him.

Projected in

Nick Dunlap (No. 67, projected to No. 12): The 20-year-old standout continues his ascent with a 66, looking to add a BMW Championship debut to his list of historic accomplishments this season as he sits in solo second heading into Sunday and up 55 places in the projected FedExCup standings.

Viktor Hovland (No. 57, projected to No. 20): The defending FedExCup champion remains primed to give it another run for the title, following up his Friday 63 with a stress-free 66, in solo third in Memphis and up almost 30 places in the FedExCup standings.

Justin Rose (No. 55, projected to No. 46): The Englishman faltered slightly on Saturday, following up his back-to-back 66s with a third-round 71 at TPC Southwind, giving him little breathing room headed into Sunday to remain within the top 50.

Harris English (No. 51, projected to No. 49): An even-par 70 keeps the Georgia Bulldog inside the projected field for the second leg of the Playoffs, albiet barely. He’ll need a strong showing Sunday to solidy his positioning and remain in the top-50 threshold.

Nick Taylor (No. 52, projected to No. 50): The Canadian is Mr. 50 heading into Sunday, finishing just on the bubble with a 7-foot par putt at the last as he looks to extend his season and capture valuable Official World Golf Rankings points before the Presidents Cup in September.

Projected out

Keegan Bradley (No. 39, projected to No. 51): Bradley remains the biggest faller of the week thus far, failing to improve on his position with a 74 on Saturday. The next Ryder Cup captain posted three double bogeys on the back nine, his front, and has dropped 12 spots in the standings.

Cam Davis (No. 44, projected to No. 52): Davis posted a 1-over 71 Saturday to fall to even par for the week. Entering at No. 44, Davis needs a round in the low 60s on Sunday to compete with all the players passing him in the fast lane at TPC Southwind.

Max Greyserman (No. 47, projected to No. 53): After the near-miss last week at the Wyndham Championship, Greyserman has yet to post a score low enough to make up for his opening-round 75 this week. The Playoffs debutant will need his best to leap back into the field at the BMW Championship.

Mackenzie Hughes (No. 48, projected to No. 54): A 71 on Saturday marked the third straight round without breaking par for Hughes in Memphis. The Presidents Cup hopeful needs to find his form on Sunday to book his flight to Colorado.

Jake Knapp (No. 50 projected to 56): Mexico Open winner Knapp has yet to atone for a 75 on Friday that knocked him to 68th in the 70-man field. He needs to use his power off the tee to find some favorable positions in Round 4 in order to make it to Castle Pines.