Amateur Nick Dunlap WDs from PGA Tour event to mull pro future - ESPN

Nick Dunlap, the University of Alabama sophomore who on Sunday became the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour in more than three decades, has withdrawn from the field for this week's Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California.

«After a life changing last 24 hours, I've decided to withdraw from the Farmers Insurance Open,» Dunlap said Monday in a statement. «I plan to return home to Alabama to be with family, friends and teammates. Thank you to Farmers Insurance and American Express for giving me these opportunities.»

With his victory at the American Express in La Quinta, California, Dunlap became the first amateur to win on tour since Phil Mickelson at the 1991 Northern Telecom Championship. The 20-year-old is only the fifth amateur to win on tour since 1950 and the second-youngest champion in the past 90 years. Jordan Spieth won the 2013 John Deere Classic when he was 19.

As an amateur, Dunlap forfeited the $1.5 million winner's purse and the 500 FedEx Cup points that came with it.

Now, he must decide whether to return to Alabama for the remainder of his second collegiate season or join the PGA Tour as a full-time member.

«I don't know,» Dunlap said after his par putt on the 72nd hole gave him a 1-shot victory over South Africa's Christiaan Bezuidenhout. «I have to take a second to let what just happened sink in a little bit. That's a decision that's not just about me. It affects a lot of people, and obviously I'm going to try to enjoy this. It's a conversation I need to have with a lot of people before I make that decision.»

Discussions about Dunlap's future started Sunday night. By capturing the American Express, he earned full-time PGA Tour membership through the 2026 season. He can accept that