Amateur Nick Dunlap comes up one short of historic 59 (!) on PGA Tour
Amateur golfer Nick Dunlap produced a sensational third round performance at The American Express on the PGA Tour.
Nick Dunlap created history at The American Express by becoming only the second amateur in history to shoot a 60 on the PGA Tour.
The 20-year-old phenom tore round La Quinta on Saturday, posting 10 birdies and an eagle for a 12-under 60.
Dunlap sits atop the leaderboard at 27-under after three rounds.
He leads a field that includes U.S. Ryder Cup players and multiple Tour winners Justin Thomas and Sam Burns.
Thomas himself was on fire and flirted with a 59 too.
The two-times major champ made six birdies in a row on his back nine as he posted an 11-under 61 at the Stadium Course.
He will start the final round four behind Dunlap.
"I didn't think I'd have to deal with a frickin' college kid shooting 60 this week," Thomas joked after his round.
Dunlap started on the back nine and made four consecutive birdies from La Quinta's 11th hole.
Birdies at 16 and 17 meant he turned in 6-under 30.
On the home stretch, he birdied the first hole before making two safe pars.
More birdies followed at the fourth and fifth hole before Dunlap made an eagle at the par-5 sixth to move to 11-under for the day and be placed firmly on 59 watch.
Dunlap, who posted rounds of 64 and 64 earlier in the week, saw his long-range birdie attempt shave the hole at the seventh.
It was a similar story at his penultimate hole and he needed to hole out from the fairway to card a 59.
Unfortunately it wasn't to be but he still stuck his approach tight and holed the birdie putt for an unbelievable 12-under 60.
It is the lowest score on the PGA Tour by an amateur since 1983.
Did you know?
Phil Mickelson was the last amateur to win a PGA Tour event.
Mickelson captured the Northern Telecom Open in Houston in 1991.
The six-time major champion posted his support for Dunlap on X, writing: "Nick Dunlap has a real shot this weekend to be the next amateur to win a Tour event.
"This generation of Aberg, Surratt, Sargent, Dunlap, and M.W. Lee are the youngest and most talented group of players I've seen and will be a force for decades."
Watch one of Dunlap's shots below:
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