New LIV Golf signing makes outrageous claim about new PGA Tour star Nick Dunlap
Incoming LIV Golf player makes bold prediction for new PGA Tour pro Nick Dunlap in 2024.
Nick Dunlap might only be qualified for three of the four majors as it stands this season, but pending LIV Golf signing Caleb Surratt believes the new PGA Tour star can end the year as a major champion.
Dunlap, 20, overcame all the odds last week when becoming the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson in 1991 at The American Express in California.
The American even set a new tournament record in the process on 29-under par and he became the youngest ever winner of the PGA Tour event.
He just was not able to collect the $1.5m first prize, or earn any FedEx Cup points due to his amateur status.
Dunlap also now holds a rather enviable record with Tiger Woods in being the only players to have won a US Amateur, US Junior Amateur and a PGA Tour title.
He won the US Junior Amateur in 2021 and then added the US Amateur title in 2023.
Dunlap withdrew from this week's Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines to not only celebrate his shock win with family and friends but also contemplate his golf future.
The decision was to either remain an amateur or to leave the University of Alabama and turn professional with a new life on the PGA Tour.
Dunlap revealed on January 25 that he was opting to turn professional and take up full membership of the PGA Tour, which he was able to do following his victory at The American Express.
He also confirmed he will make his pro debut at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am next week.
Dunlap has a PGA Tour card secure through to 2026 no matter what happens next.
He gave an emotional press conference to confirm the news at University of Alabama.
It was filmed on Golf Channel, and you can watch it in full here:
Alabama Men’s Golfer Nick Dunlap Holds Press Conference
#RollTide | @AlabamaMGolf https://t.co/6OYrG506Xk— Alabama Athletics (@UA_Athletics) January 25, 2024
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Now while the perks of becoming a PGA Tour professional far outweigh the negatives, there is one major downside for Dunlap in that he longer becomes eligible for The Open Championship at Royal Troon this July.
However, on the flip side, he does now earn a place in the field at the US PGA in May.
Dunlap can of course still qualify for The Open should he continue to build on his incredible promise on the PGA Tour.
Related: LIV Golf confirm two new signings with more on the way!
As it stands, Dunlap is ranked 68th in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR).
That was a huge vault from well outside the top 4,000.
Dunlap will need to progress into the top 50 of the OWGR in Week 21 of the year if he wants to make it into The Open, which is eight weeks before the start of the championship at Royal Troon in July.
He could also earn his playing rights in the final major of the season by coming through Open qualifying.
But straight back to top of the story, and amateur Caleb Surratt, who we have been told is 99.9% set to join Jon Rahm's LIV Golf team ahead of next week's opening event of the season, believes even bigger things await Dunlap in 2024. Major things in fact.
Surratt thinks Dunlap will end this season as a major champion.
Surratt’s big call was made on the USGA's Instagram post, which featured a graphic of Dunlap with the caption make one prediction for Nick Dunlap's pro career.
"Major champion this year," he wrote.
A bold prediction for sure, but Dunlap has already proven anything is possible.
Will Dunlap win another PGA Tour event this season? Do you agree with Surratt in that Dunlap will win a major championship in 2024? How many majors do you think Dunlap will win in his career? Or will he prove a flop and never win again? Share your thoughts and comments over on the GolfMagic social media channels.
