Latest news with #NickDunlap
USA Today
26-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Amateur Michael La Sasso fires third-round 63, vaults into contention at 2025 3M Open
In January 2024, Nick Dunlap became the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson did so in 1991. In total, there have only been five amateur winners on Tour post-1950, but there could be a new name added to that list this weekend. Michael La Sasso, the 21-year-old amateur from Raleigh, North Carolina, fired an 8-under 63 in Saturday's third round of the 2025 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities. He made eight birdies — six of which came on the back nine — in an outing void of bogeys, vaulting him into a tie for second, one off the lead just before noon ET. It's the lowest round by an amateur on Tour this season, topping the 64 posted by Jackson Koivun at the John Deere Classic earlier this month. "We had a blast," La Sasso said. "It's nice being first out, nice and calm, greens are fresh. Definitely a little faster today. I had a good time. Kind of blitzed it there, kind of middle of the round. Yeah, it was a lot of smiling, so it was good." La Sasso was first out because he made the cut on the number at 5 under on Friday. "I think that's the earliest tee time I've ever had. My alarm went off nice and early this morning. But I think it's nice, kind of same thing like nice and calm this morning. You really can get into a good groove especially with two guys, kind of find your rhythm pretty quickly. I thought it was great." La Sasso is a rising senior at Ole Miss and the reigning individual men's NCAA National Champion. He's appearing in his fifth PGA Tour event at the 3M Open on a sponsor exemption, having missed the cut in all his previous starts at the Barracuda Championship, the John Deere Classic and the Rocket Classic, as well as the U.S. Open, where he missed the cut. But all of that is behind him now, and he seems to be settling in among the world's best players, even though he's still an amateur. "Just trying to stay positive. Been like a little bit of a learning curve this summer so just trying to be able to go out and enjoy it. Kind of feels like everything's amplified with everybody watching, so kind of just try to get used to it. Kind of just trying to learn, play good golf and kind of take away as much as I can from these guys because hopefully I'll be here in a year to two years, so I'm just trying to learn how to do it and make the transition a little easier." Keep up with all the action from Saturday's third round at the 2025 3M Open with our live updates page.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
With the Big Names at Portrush, Don't Sleep on the Barracuda Championship
With the Big Names at Portrush, Don't Sleep on the Barracuda Championship originally appeared on Athlon Sports. I get it — The Open Championship is happening at Royal Portrush, and that's where the golf world's attention is focused. However, as I mentioned last week regarding opposite-field events, if you're writing off this week's Barracuda Championship in Tahoe as just another "opposite field" tournament, you're missing out on what could be the most enjoyable four days of golf all Isn't Your Typical Golf Tournament What makes the Barracuda Championship different from every other week? They ditched stroke play entirely. Instead, guys rack up points playing a Modified Stableford scoring system. It's the only tournament on tour that does this, and it flips traditional stroke play on its head. In stroke-play golf, one blow-up hole tanks your whole day. Not so true in this Modified Stableford system. Make a double and you lose three points, then you pick up and walk to the next tee. But knock one in for eagle? That's five points right there — enough to jump 20 spots up the board. The numbers work out beautifully for aggressive play. Birdie gets you two points, bogey only costs you one. So that tight pin over water that most pros would never go at? Here, it's a no-brainer. The risk-reward is tilted toward taking chances. Nick Dunlap's Incredible Story Continues The defending champion is Nick Dunlap, and his story remains remarkable. This kid won the American Express in January as an amateur, then turned pro and won again at this very tournament a few months later. Nobody in PGA Tour history had ever done that — win as both an amateur and professional in the same year. His victory here wasn't just any win, either. He started Sunday nine points back, then went absolutely nuclear with a 19-point final round. That's like shooting 61 in regular golf, except even more impressive because of how the scoring works. This season hasn't been as magical for Dunlap — his best finish was a decent showing at the Sony Open — but you can't count out someone who's already proved he can win on tour. Plus, there's something about returning to the scene of your breakthrough moment. The Desperation Factor Is Real The drama is real this week. After this tournament, there are only two events left before the FedEx Cup playoffs, and they cut it off at the top 100. Adam Hadwin is sitting at 129th in points. Do the math. Hadwin wasn't even supposed to be here — he was a late entry. That should tell you everything about where his head's at right now. He's played this thing twice, maybe three times total, but when you're fighting for your season, you take whatever you can get. Three hundred FedEx Cup points to the winner. That's the difference between August golf and August vacation. When guys are playing scared like that, wild stuff happens. Max Homa's Long-Awaited Return One of the best storylines flying under the radar is Max Homa coming back to this tournament for the first time since 2017. Back then, he was a struggling tour pro trying to figure things out. Today, he's one of the most popular players in golf, with multiple wins and a social following that rivals anyone. His recent T5 at the John Deere Classic was his best finish of the season, and the timing couldn't be better. Homa's personality and aggressive style seem perfect for the Modified Stableford format. He's never been afraid to take risks, and this scoring system rewards exactly that mindset. The Course Itself Begs for Fireworks The course sits way up at 6,000 feet, so the ball absolutely flies in that thin air. And the views? Forget about it. But the tournament people did something smart last year — they switched which nine you start on. Now, when you make the turn, you're staring down two par-5s and a short par-4 you can probably drive if you've got the stones. That's huge in this format. Picture this: You're trailing by a few points with three holes left, and suddenly you've got two legitimate eagle chances plus a hole where you might stuff a driver to 10 feet. In regular stroke play, that's nice. Here, it's absolutely mental. Those are the moments that make you grab your buddy and say, "Did you see that?" The Hungry International Contingent Then there's the international flavor. More than 50 DP World Tour guys made the trip over, and they're hungry. You probably don't know half these names, but they can flat-out play. For them, this isn't just another tournament — it's their chance to prove they belong on the big stage. The format suits them perfectly, too. European players grow up taking risks, going for pins, playing with flair. That's exactly what Modified Stableford rewards. While the Americans are used to grinding out pars and managing their way around courses, these guys will fire at every flag. It should be fun to watch. Why This Event Matters More Than You Think Here's my take: While everyone's watching the big names battle at the Open, some of the most entertaining golf of the year might be happening in the mountains of California. The combination of desperate players, a unique format, and a course that rewards aggressiveness is a recipe for memorable moments. Sometimes the best golf happens when the spotlight isn't quite so bright. The Barracuda Championship has all the ingredients for one of those tournaments you'll remember long after the season ends. Don't say I didn't warn story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
20-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Nick Dunlap: Travelers Championship betting odds and preview
Nick Dunlap: Travelers Championship betting odds and preview The Travelers Championship is underway, and Nick Dunlap is in 71st position with a score of +6. Nick Dunlap has played in 27 events in the past year. He won one, and his average finish was 38th, with two top fives. Nick Dunlap odds to win the Travelers Championship PGA odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Thursday at 7:21 PM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. Odds to win: +40000, bet $100 to win $40000 Dunlap's stats and trends Dunlap has not finished within five strokes of the winner or carded a better-than-average score in any of his last five appearances. He has an average score of +7 across his last five events. Dunlap hasn't finished inside the top 20 in his last five tournaments, with an average finish of 58th. He's qualified for the weekend in two of his last five appearances. Dunlap's recent results U.S. Open: 77-74 (+11) - Missed cut 77-74 (+11) - Missed cut RBC Canadian Open: 73-69 (+2) - Missed cut 73-69 (+2) - Missed cut the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday: 74-74-75-73 (+8) - Finished 44th 74-74-75-73 (+8) - Finished 44th PGA Championship: 78-72 (+8) - Missed cut How to watch the Travelers Championship Date: June 19-22, 2025 June 19-22, 2025 Location: Cromwell, CT Cromwell, CT TV Channel: The Golf Channel The Golf Channel Live stream: Watch LIVE with Fubo! ESPN+ is the new home of PGA TOUR LIVE. Sign up now to access 4,300+ hours of live coverage from 35 PGA TOUR tournaments this year.
USA Today
14-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Nick Dunlap odds to win the 2025 PGA Championship
At Quail Hollow Club from May 15-18, Nick Dunlap will be among the players playing in the PGA Championship.
USA Today
01-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Can an amateur play in the PGA Championship? Why ams aren't in the PGA field
Can an amateur play in the PGA Championship? Why ams aren't in the PGA field Can an amateur play in the PGA Championship? Technically, yes, but it's highly unlikely. The PGA of America sets the field for the PGA Championship, and it is the only men's major where the top amateurs in the world don't get invited, unlike the U.S. Open or Open Championship, where amateurs can qualify, or the Masters, were amateurs can get invited. The PGA of America also reserves 20 spots for PGA Professionals in the second major championship of the year. So how could an amateur get in? The only two ways are to win a major championship or capture a PGA Tour title, thus earning an exemption, and then remaining an amateur. In the modern era, no amateur has won a major. Nick Dunlap won a PGA Tour event as an amateur last year but turned pro the following week. The last amateur to win a major was Johnny Goodman in the 1933 U.S. Open. So, barring something that would be a historically great feat, don't expect the (a) on a PGA Championship leaderboard anytime soon.
