Points and Payouts: Nick Dunlap wins The American Express, runner-up Christiaan Bezuidenhout earns $1.5M
Nick Dunlap, a 20-year-old amateur golfer, emerged as the winner of The American Express tournament, setting a new record for the event. Christiaan Bezuidenhout finished as the runner-up and earned a significant cash prize. Let's take a closer look at the points and payouts from the tournament.
Nick Dunlap: The Young Amateur Champion
In a surprising turn of events, 20-year-old Nick Dunlap emerged as the winner of The American Express golf tournament. Despite being an amateur player and the third-ranked amateur in the world, Dunlap's exceptional performance secured him the title.
The victory is even more impressive considering Dunlap's pre-tournament odds at BetMGM, where he was given a +40000 chance of winning. This makes him the third consecutive longshot to win in the 2024 season, following Chris Kirk and Grayson Murray's victories.
Dunlap's four-round total of 29-under 259 not only secured his win but also set a new tournament record since it became a four-round contest in 2012. While he doesn't receive any of the $8.4-million purse as an amateur, he also doesn't earn any non-member FedExCup points.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout: The Runner-Up
Finishing in second place was professional golfer Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who earned a cash prize of $1,512,000 for his performance. Despite falling short of the victory, Bezuidenhout still received significant recognition for his strong performance.
While Bezuidenhout didn't claim the 500 points reserved for the winner, his second-place finish did earn him 300 FedExCup points. The scoring system takes into account the actual finish of players to assign point values.
Bezuidenhout's performance in The American Express showcases his talent and highlights his potential to continue achieving success in future tournaments.
Other Notable Performances
Several other notable players achieved impressive results in The American Express tournament. Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, and Kevin Yu all finished tied for third place, securing 145 FedExCup points each.
Tournament favorite Scottie Scheffler finished tied for 17th place after shooting a bogey-free, 7-under 65 in the final round. Daniel Berger, making his long-awaited return from a back injury, placed T39 with a respectable +6600 odds to win.
Overall, The American Express proved to be an exciting tournament filled with unexpected outcomes and impressive performances from both amateur and professional golfers.
