2 months agoNick Dunlap had that one top-10 result at the Sony Open. The American golfer started off last week at Pebble Beach but faded with a 72-74 weekend. Off the tee, Dunlap has not gotten much of anything going. Losing a whopping 1.105 strokes after 14 measured rounds is not helpful. Even worse, Dunlap cannot hit a driver 300-plus yards, and his accuracy is a mere 50.88% (167th). Also, Dunlap averages 30 putts per opening round and a mere 70 after the first round. It has been a bit of a pattern for the golfer from Alabama. This is Dunlap's first trip to Scottsdale, and this could prove to be a harsh learning experience. Do not let the party atmosphere fool anyone -- Dunlap needs to drive the ball further and accurately. It will be vital if Dunlap expects to challenge this week.
--Chris Wassel - RotoBallerSource: PGATour.com
3 months agoNick Dunlap, the 2024 winner of The American Express, returns to La Quinta this week with hopes of defending his title. His impressive 29-under performance last year, which included a four-day scorecard of 64-65-60-70, earned him a one-stroke victory over runner-up Christian Bezuidenhout. In addition to his win at The American Express, Dunlap also triumphed at The Barracuda Championship in 2024. In these wins, he gained 1.42 strokes putting at The American Express and 1.22 strokes at Barracuda — his third- and fourth-best strokes-gained putting marks in PGA events. Dunlap's putting has continued to show promise, as evidenced by his career-best 1.90 strokes gained in putting at The Sony Open last week, leading to a T10 finish. This recent performance suggests his putting could remain a strength this week, but it also shows his reliance on his short game. His struggles in other key areas — ranking 164th in driving accuracy and 163rd in bogey avoidance in 2024 — could hold him back in this low-scoring event, where accuracy and minimizing mistakes are critical. With a stacked field and questions about his consistency, Dunlap may find it challenging to defend his title at The American Express.
--Dakota Legg - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
3 months agoIt was a disappointing start to the new season for Nick Dunlap, as the former University of Alabama golfer finished 55th at Kapalua last week and struggled to find any success on the Plantation Course. It's easy to forget he's still figuring out the PGA Tour venues given we haven't made it to the tour stop where he won as an amateur last season. Better performances should be expected, although it is difficult to see it in the short term at Waialae given its tight and wavy nature. Dunlap's time is coming, but at $9,000 on FanDuel, you'd like to see better form before putting him in any lineups or bets.
--Todd McGill - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
3 months agoNick Dunlap finished the 2024 season ranked 49th in the FedEx Cup standings as a rookie. He hopes to capitalize on that impressive season by starting strong at The Plantation Course for this week's The Sentry. Over the past 12 months, Dunlap has ranked in the 61st percentile for proximity to the hole on approach shots from over 200 yards from the fairway. This is worth noting because, at last year's The Sentry, over 21% of approach shots came from this distance. Including Dunlap in DFS lineups could carry some risk.
--Ian Christenson - RotoBallerSource: Data Golf
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