Nick Dunlap joins PGA Tour after historic amateur victory at The American Express

Nick Dunlap, who became the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour since 1991 on Sunday, has joined the circuit as a member and will make his professional debut in next week's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Dunlap is exempt through the 2026 season after his brilliant victory in The American Express at La Quinta.

The 20-year-old won the US Amateur title last year and topped the world amateur rankings for the first time by virtue of his win, which also lifted him more than 4,000 places on the Official World Golf Ranking to 68th.

Dunlap had withdrawn from this week's Farmers Insurance Open as he weighed up the decision to turn professional or remain competing and studying at the University of Alabama.

"It was the easiest, hardest decision I've ever had to make," an emotional Dunlap said in a press conference at the university on Thursday.