The youngest player ever to win award
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – There were no surprises when the PGA Tour announced that Nick Dunlap as recipient of its Rookie of the Year award on Thursday.
Huntsville’s native son was an easy winner. The 20-year-old Dunlap captured the Arnold Palmer Award after a season in which he won twice – once as an amateur and then again after he turned professional.
He was the first player in Tour history to win as an amateur and a professional in the same season and he is the youngest player to be named PGA Tour Rookie of the Year since Jordan Spieth in 2013.
“On behalf of the PGA Tour, congratulations to Nick Dunlap on being named PGA Tour Rookie of the Year,” said PGA Tour, Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Nick carved out his place in the PGA Tour, record book. To begin 2024 as a collegiate golfer and end it with two PGA Tour victories and among the top-50 players in the FedExCup is truly impressive.”
Nick Dunlap netted 57 percent of Tour players’ votes
Rookie of the Year is determined by a member vote, with PGA Tour members who played in at least 15 events during the 2024 season eligible to cast votes. The voting period ran from Nov. 25-Dec. 4. Dunlap received 57 percent of the vote for the Arnold Palmer Award and was selected over three other nominees: Max Greyserman, Jake Knapp and Matthieu Pavon.
Starting the year as a sophomore at the University of Alabama, Dunlap won The American Express in January, becoming the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since 1991 (Phil Mickelson/Northern Telecom Open). Dunlap recorded a 60 in the third round to hold a three-shot lead in his fourth PGA Tour start, which he went on to win by one shot.
Four days after the victory, Dunlap announced his decision to turn professional and subsequently joined the PGA Tour, making his professional debut the following week at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
In July, Dunlap added to his historic season with a victory at the Barracuda Championship, becoming the first player in Tour history to win as an amateur and a professional in the same season. Dunlap, who qualified for his first FedExCup Playoffs at No. 67 in the FedExCup, finished T5 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and advanced to the BMW Championship.
Dunlap finished No. 49 in the FedExCup, qualifying him for the Tour’s Signature Events in 2025 by virtue of finishing among the top 50.
Dunlap ended his amateur career as the No. 1 player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He won the 2021 U.S. Junior Amateur and the 2023 U.S. Amateur, joining Tiger Woods as the only players to win each title.
At the age of 20 years, 11 months, 12 days, Dunlap becomes the second-youngest player to be named PGA Tour Rookie of the Year behind Jordan Spieth who received the 2013 award at the age of 20 years, 2 months.
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Featured image of Nick Dunlap courtesy of the PGA Tour
