Nick Dunlap’s LIV Golf links explained as college star makes PGA Tour history

Nick Dunlap made PGA Tour history when winning as an amateur at last week’s American Express, and the college star is already being linked with a move to LIV Golf.

The PGA Tour’s latest prodigy, Nick Dunlap, is already drawing links to the LIV Golf setup, after the college star became the first amateur since 1991 to win on Tour.

Dunlap prevailed at last week’s American Express in California, fending off the likes of Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele and Sam Burns to become the first non-pro since Phil Mickelson 33 years earlier to get over the line. In becoming a champion Dunlap unsurprisingly became on overnight star.

With Dunlap’s amateur status preventing him from earning a penny of the £1.2 million winning prize, all eyes are now on what the 20-year-old does next.

It is yet unknown when and at what event the college standout will decide to become a professional athlete. Dunlap made the decision to withdraw from this week’s Farmers Insurance Open following his victory the previous weekend.

If he is to turn pro, he will be able to compete in all of the PGA Tour’s Signature Events for 2024. He already has spots at three of the four majors this year too in the Masters, PGA Championship and U.S. Open thanks to his U.S. Amateur win in 2023, as well as also landing an entry into next month’s Players Championship following his AmEx triumph.

As is the world of modern professional golf, there is also another route on offer for the youngster too. That is of course LIV Golf, who have emerged as one of golf’s leading circuits alongside its new-found PGA Tour rivals.

Dunlap was quizzed on whether he had received any contact from LIV bosses on the back of his win, to which he responded: “As of right now I have no idea, I really don’t. I know.” A move to the Saudi league would not be out of the question, with Dunlap managed by GSE Worldwide, who work with a number of LIV stars.

The likes of Bryson DeChambeau and Sergio Garcia are part of the GSE network, with Dunlap’s representative Kevin Canning also that of another LIV star in Jason Kokrak. Dunlap would not be the first amateur to also turn pro with the breakaway league too.

Spanish duo David Puig and Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra opted to take this route, the latter another golfer who is represented by GSE. There is not doubt Dunlap would be handed a mega-money signing on fee too. Reports suggested Lopez-Chacarra banked a contract worth up to £12.6 million, which would no doubt be topped by Dunlap with his win in California last week only enhancing his worth in the game.

But if his remarks following the tournament are any indication, Dunlap appears to be concentrating on the PGA Tour for the time being. “I have always dreamed of being a member of the PGA Tour,” he stated on Sunday. To triumph in an event on the PGA Tour. It has always been my goal to accomplish that.

“My goal has always been to pursue an endeavor that no one else has. I always put my all into my work because I want to create something unique and unforgettable—not just for myself, but also perhaps to leave a mark that someone else could try to emulate and measure.”