What a Win Would Mean for Amateur Nick Dunlap's PGA TOUR Status
U.S. Amateur champion, Nick Dunlap, has the potential to make history at The American Express by becoming the first amateur to win on the PGA TOUR in three decades. Here are the implications if Dunlap goes on to win.
Implications for This Week
If Nick Dunlap wins, he will not earn prize money or FedExCup points, even if he turns pro immediately following the event.
The prize money will be awarded to the next player in line. For example, if Dunlap wins and Sam Burns comes in solo second, Burns would receive the winner's prize money. The third-place finisher would earn the amount of money designated for second place, and so on.
However, FedExCup points do not carry over. If Dunlap wins, no one will be awarded the winner's 500 points, and he will not earn them retroactively upon turning pro. In the scenario where Burns hypothetically finishes as the runner-up to Dunlap, Burns would receive 300 points, but Dunlap's 500 points would not be allocated to the field.
Dunlap Membership Implications
Dunlap is eligible to take up PGA TOUR membership at any time during the 2024 season, and he would receive the typical exemptions of a PGA TOUR winner.
These exemptions include membership on the PGA TOUR through the 2026 season, exemptions into all 2024 Signature Events (if he turns pro before those events), the Masters, and the PGA Championship.
As the winner of the 2023 U.S. Amateur, Dunlap currently has exemptions into the Masters, U.S. Open, and The Open. However, he must remain amateur to use those exemptions. If he were to win The American Express and turn pro, he would still be exempt into the Masters and PGA Championship as a PGA TOUR winner.
Dunlap's Options for Turning Pro
If Dunlap does not accept membership during the 2024 season, he has 30 days following the completion of the season to turn pro and take up membership for the 2025 PGA TOUR season.
If he decides to turn pro and take up membership for the 2025 season, he will be exempt for next year's The Sentry tournament.
However, if Dunlap does not accept membership during the 30-day period after the conclusion of the 2024 season, he would then have to wait until the conclusion of the 2025 season to take up membership. In this case, he would have 30 days to take up membership for the 2026 PGA TOUR season.
Regardless of when Dunlap takes up membership, it will only run through the 2026 PGA TOUR season. If he chooses not to turn pro and take up membership, he can still participate in Full-Field Events out of the tournament winners category, but he will be subject to nonmember regulations and can only compete in a maximum of 12 tournaments.
However, PGA TOUR winners are exempt into all Signature Events for the remainder of the season, but since Signature Events are limited to PGA TOUR members, Dunlap would not be able to participate before turning pro and taking up PGA TOUR membership.
