Nick Dunlap Matches Tiger Feat With U.S. Amateur Title to Cap Big Summer

CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Colo. (AP) — Nick Dunlap capped an enormous summer season together with his largest title but, successful the U.S. Novice at Cherry Hills on Sunday to affix Tiger Woods as the one gamers to win the U.S. Novice and U.S. Junior Novice.

Dunlap by no means trailed in his 4-and-3 victory over Neal Shipley, although it was tied after 18 holes within the morning of golf so beautiful they produced 11 birdies between them. It received just a little sloppy on the finish, however solely after Dunlap seized management.

He was 4 up with 4 holes to play when Shipley didn’t birdie the par-3 fifteenth gap to increase the match.

Dunlap, a 19-year-old at Alabama, received the U.S. Junior on the Nation Membership of North Carolina two years in the past. Woods famously received three straight U.S. Juniors adopted by three straight U.S. Novice titles.

“I feel it is solely a 3rd of what he is performed,” Dunlap stated. “Simply to be in the identical dialog with Tiger is a dream come true and one thing I’ve labored for my entire life.”

Dunlap, No. 9 on the planet newbie rating, received back-to-back this summer season within the Northeast Novice at Wannamoisett and the North & South Novice at Pinehurst, two of the extra prestigious newbie occasions in America.

He already was chosen for the Walker Cup staff this 12 months, which will probably be held at St. Andrews. And he improved his report in match play to 30-2 courting to 2021.

Shipley caught him at lunch and the match remained all sq. by 20 holes. Dunlap received the third gap of the afternoon session to go 1 up and he by no means appeared again. He received the subsequent gap with a conceded birdie and took a 3-up lead by seven holes with a bogey by Shipley.

Dunlap made a 35-foot birdie putt on the flip to halve the outlet and keep in command, after which he went 4 up with a 15-foot birdie putt that broke sharply on the tenth inexperienced.

Shipley took double bogey on the 14th gap after driving right into a hazard and went 4 down, and the match ended on the subsequent gap when Shipley didn’t make birdie.

Each shot the equal of 66 within the morning. Dunlap made 11 birdies in 33 holes, both made or conceded.

The victory sends Dunlap to the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open subsequent 12 months. Shipley, 22 and a graduate pupil at Ohio State, will get into the Masters.

“Nick performed phenomenal,” Shipley stated. “He was going to be onerous to beat at the moment. I performed nice all week. There’s not a lot you are able to do when somebody does that to you.”

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