Reigning US Amateur champion Nick Dunlap&nbsp;became the first amateur since 1991 to win a PGA Tour title, winning a back-nine showdown on Sunday to capture the American Express tournament. Dunlap, a 20-year-old sophomore at the University of Alabama, sank the winning par putt from just inside six feet at the 18th hole to fire a two-under-par 70 at the Pete Dye Stadium Course -- one of three courses used this week.

Despite his one-stroke victory, however, Dunlap will not take home any money from the win.&nbsp; As an amateur, the American is ineligible for the winner's prize of $1.51 million, which goes to runner-up Christiaan Bezuidenhout of South Africa. Dunlap finished on 29-under 259 to set a 72-hole record low winning score, breaking the mark of 28-under set by Patrick Reed in 2014.

"I felt this script today was already written," Dunlap said. "I was going to give it everything I had whether I shoot 75 or 65 or 70. "I'm so happy to be standing here."

Dunlap became the first amateur to win a US PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson captured the 1991 Northern Telecom Open in Tucson, Arizona. Dunlap also became the second-youngest PGA Tour winner in the past 90 years,&nbsp;trailing only Jordan Spieth's victory at 19 at the 2013 John Deere Classic, and the youngest amateur winner since 1910.

The historic victory didn't come without tension-packed drama. Dunlap sank a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-5 16th to share the lead with 24th-ranked American Sam Burns, who found water off the tee at the par-3 17th on the day's toughest hole.

Dunlap made a routine par while Burns stumbled with a double bogey and the amateur led by two with the par-4 18th remaining. But ahead of him on the 18th green, Bezuidenhout birdied to pull within one. At 18, Dunlap's tee shot went way into the right rough and his approach stopped 75 feet from the hole down a slope.

"I thought I had a two-shot lead," Dunlap said. "I hit somebody, I'm sorry for whoever that was, got a great break and was able to give myself a good look." Dunlap&nbsp;pitched his third to just inside six feet and then sank his par putt for the victory "Nothing like I have ever felt," Dunlap said. "It's so cool to be out here and experience this as an amateur. "Whether I had made that or missed that, if you would have told me Wednesday night I would have a putt to win this golf tournament, I wouldn't believe you."

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<h2>- 'A hell of a player' -</h2>

Bezuidenhout finished on 260 after a closing 65 and praised Dunlap. "He's a hell of a player and congrats to him," Bezuidenhout said. "Hopefully he can be out on the PGA Tour soon and we all can get to play with him."

Sharing third on 261 were Taiwan's Kevin Yu, who matched his career-low PGA round with a 63, and Americans Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas. Despite missing out on the winner's check, Dunlap will become eligible to take PGA Tour membership at any time in the 2024 PGA campaign.

Then he would receive the benefits of any PGA Tour winner, which include membership through the 2026 season plus entries into the Masters and PGA Championship and any unplayed "signature" events. Dunlap already has berths in this year's Masters, PGA and British Open from his US Amateur triumph if he is an amateur when the events tee off.

A social media video posting of Dunlap's Alabama golf squad showed his teammates go berserk when the winning putt dropped. Dunlap led by three when the day began, kept that margin with a birdie at the par-5 fifth but made a double bogey after finding water off the seventh tee.

"Hitting that ball in the water on seven tested everything I had," Dunlap said. "I missed a couple putts I thought I was going to make." Dunlap made a six-foot birdie putt at the eighth and an eight-foot putt to save par at nine, fell behind after Burns made a birdie-birdie back-nine start.

Reigning US Amateur champion Nick Dunlap became the first amateur since 1991 to win a PGA Tour title, winning a back-nine showdown on Sunday to capture the American Express tournament.

Reigning US Amateur champion Nick Dunlap became the first amateur since 1991 to win a PGA Tour title, winning a back-nine showdown on Sunday to capture the American Express tournament. Dunlap, a 20-year-old sophomore at the University of Alabama, sank the winning par putt from just inside six feet at the 18th hole to fire a two-under-par 70 at the Pete Dye Stadium Course -- one of three courses used this week. Despite his one-stroke victory, however, Dunlap will not take home any money from the win. As an amateur, the American is ineligible for the winner's prize of $1.51 million, which goes to runner-up Christiaan Bezuidenhout of South Africa. Dunlap finished on 29-under 259 to set a 72-hole record low winning score, breaking the mark of 28-under set by Patrick Reed in 2014. "I felt this script today was already written," Dunlap said. "I was going to give it everything I had whether I shoot 75 or 65 or 70. "I'm so happy to be standing here." Dunlap became the first amateur to win a US PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson captured the 1991 Northern Telecom Open in Tucson, Arizona. Dunlap also became the second-youngest PGA Tour winner in the past 90 years, trailing only Jordan Spieth's victory at 19 at the 2013 John Deere Classic, and the youngest amateur winner since 1910. The historic victory didn't come without tension-packed drama. Dunlap sank a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-5 16th to share the lead with 24th-ranked American Sam Burns, who found water off the tee at the par-3 17th on the day's toughest hole. Dunlap made a routine par while Burns stumbled with a double bogey and the amateur led by two with the par-4 18th remaining. But ahead of him on the 18th green, Bezuidenhout birdied to pull within one. At 18, Dunlap's tee shot went way into the right rough and his approach stopped 75 feet from the hole down a slope. "I thought I had a two-shot lead," Dunlap said. "I hit somebody, I'm sorry for whoever that was, got a great break and was able to give myself a good look." Dunlap pitched his third to just inside six feet and then sank his par putt for the victory "Nothing like I have ever felt," Dunlap said. "It's so cool to be out here and experience this as an amateur. "Whether I had made that or missed that, if you would have told me Wednesday night I would have a putt to win this golf tournament, I wouldn't believe you." Also read: Denver Nuggets roll past Washington Wizards as Nikola Jokic pours in 42 - 'A hell of a player' - Bezuidenhout finished on 260 after a closing 65 and praised Dunlap. "He's a hell of a player and congrats to him," Bezuidenhout said. "Hopefully he can be out on the PGA Tour soon and we all can get to play with him." Sharing third on 261 were Taiwan's Kevin Yu, who matched his career-low PGA round with a 63, and Americans Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas. Despite missing out on the winner's check, Dunlap will become eligible to take PGA Tour membership at any time in the 2024 PGA campaign. Then he would receive the benefits of any PGA Tour winner, which include membership through the 2026 season plus entries into the Masters and PGA Championship and any unplayed "signature" events. Dunlap already has berths in this year's Masters, PGA and British Open from his US Amateur triumph if he is an amateur when the events tee off. A social media video posting of Dunlap's Alabama golf squad showed his teammates go berserk when the winning putt dropped. Dunlap led by three when the day began, kept that margin with a birdie at the par-5 fifth but made a double bogey after finding water off the seventh tee. "Hitting that ball in the water on seven tested everything I had," Dunlap said. "I missed a couple putts I thought I was going to make." Dunlap made a six-foot birdie putt at the eighth and an eight-foot putt to save par at nine, fell behind after Burns made a birdie-birdie back-nine start.

Golf: America's Nick Dunlap becomes first amateur since 1991 to win PGA Tour event

The PGA Tour Latinoamerica and PGA Tour Canada will merge into a single circuit that will begin play in early 2024, the PGA Tour said on Tuesday as it offers a new pathway for&nbsp;golfers to move up the ranks. The newly-branded PGA Tour Americas will stage 16 events across Latin America, Canada and the United States from February through September with 15 cards up for grabs on the developmental Korn Ferry Tour.

"We are thrilled about PGA Tour Americas and the role this tour will play in preparing players for the next step in their professional&nbsp;golf&nbsp;journey," Alex Baldwin, who oversees PGA Tour Americas, the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Q-School and PGA Tour University, said in a news release.

"PGA Tour Americas will be an extremely competitive tour aimed at identifying, developing and transitioning top-performing players to the next level as they ascend through the ranks and strive to reach the highest level of professional&nbsp;golf, the PGA Tour."

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The first half of the season will be the Latin America Swing and include the top 60 finishers from both the 2022-2023 PGA Tour Latinoamerica points list and the 2023 PGA Tour Canada points list. The top 60 players from the Latin America Swing move on to compete in the North America Swing from June through September with the top 10 on the season-long points list earning Korn Ferry Tour membership.

Five conditional Korn Ferry Tour cards are available to the top two finishers in the Latin America Swing and top three from the North America Swing in the case that they do not finish in the top 10 on the final PGA Tour Americas points list.

The schedule for the inaugural season will be announced in September with details regarding purses and points distribution to be released closer to the start of play in February.

The PGA Tour Latinoamerica and PGA Tour Canada will merge into a single circuit that will begin play in early 2024, the PGA Tour said on Tuesday as it offers a new pathway for golfers to move up the ranks.

The PGA Tour Latinoamerica and PGA Tour Canada will merge into a single circuit that will begin play in early 2024, the PGA Tour said on Tuesday as it offers a new pathway for golfers to move up the ranks. The newly-branded PGA Tour Americas will stage 16 events across Latin America, Canada and the United States from February through September with 15 cards up for grabs on the developmental Korn Ferry Tour. "We are thrilled about PGA Tour Americas and the role this tour will play in preparing players for the next step in their professional golf journey," Alex Baldwin, who oversees PGA Tour Americas, the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Q-School and PGA Tour University, said in a news release. "PGA Tour Americas will be an extremely competitive tour aimed at identifying, developing and transitioning top-performing players to the next level as they ascend through the ranks and strive to reach the highest level of professional golf, the PGA Tour." Also read: Formula One gives green signal to new standalone sprint format The first half of the season will be the Latin America Swing and include the top 60 finishers from both the 2022-2023 PGA Tour Latinoamerica points list and the 2023 PGA Tour Canada points list. The top 60 players from the Latin America Swing move on to compete in the North America Swing from June through September with the top 10 on the season-long points list earning Korn Ferry Tour membership. Five conditional Korn Ferry Tour cards are available to the top two finishers in the Latin America Swing and top three from the North America Swing in the case that they do not finish in the top 10 on the final PGA Tour Americas points list. The schedule for the inaugural season will be announced in September with details regarding purses and points distribution to be released closer to the start of play in February.

Golf: PGA Tour merges Canadian and Latin circuits, creates new player pathway

Tiger&nbsp;Woods&nbsp;said he was trying to stay calm throughout his first round at the Genesis Invitational on Thursday, where he posted a two-under-par 69 in his first non-major PGA Tour event since October 2020. Woods&nbsp;has competed on a limited basis since a 2021 car crash almost cost him a leg, featuring in the field for the Masters, PGA Championship and the Open last year.

He competed in the PNC Championship with his son, Charlie, in December despite developing plantar fasciitis earlier in the month. "Misses, angles, wind - these are all things that have come second nature to a lot of these guys - I haven't really done this in a while," said the 15-times major winner on Thursday. Woods, who made his PGA Tour debut at the Riviera Country Club some three decades ago, closed out his round with three straight birdies, much to the delight of the packed galleries as fans clutched cell phones straining to catch a snapshot.

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"I didn't really look up as much. I probably should have," he later told reporters. "I was trying to calm myself down all day, trying to figure out what the hell I'm doing out here because I haven't played." Woods, playing alongside Rory McIlroy (67) and Justin Thomas (68), chipped into a bunker on 10, leading to one of three bogeys on the day. But he whipped the crowd into a frenzy as he drained a more-than 23-foot putt on 17 and finished five shots shy of clubhouse leaders Max Homa and Keith Mitchell (both 64).

"I probably should have appreciated the fans more than I did, but there was so much going on in my head trying to get the ball in the correct spots and the correct feels just because I haven't done this in a while," said&nbsp;Woods.

The tournament was suspended due to darkness with the handful of players who had not completed the first round set to resume on Friday at 7:45 a.m. (1545 GMT).

Tiger Woods said he was trying to stay calm throughout his first round at the Genesis Invitational on Thursday, where he posted a two-under-par 69 in his first non-major PGA Tour event since October 2020.

Tiger Woods said he was trying to stay calm throughout his first round at the Genesis Invitational on Thursday, where he posted a two-under-par 69 in his first non-major PGA Tour event since October 2020. Woods has competed on a limited basis since a 2021 car crash almost cost him a leg, featuring in the field for the Masters, PGA Championship and the Open last year. He competed in the PNC Championship with his son, Charlie, in December despite developing plantar fasciitis earlier in the month. "Misses, angles, wind - these are all things that have come second nature to a lot of these guys - I haven't really done this in a while," said the 15-times major winner on Thursday. Woods, who made his PGA Tour debut at the Riviera Country Club some three decades ago, closed out his round with three straight birdies, much to the delight of the packed galleries as fans clutched cell phones straining to catch a snapshot. Also Read: NFL: Eagles' Jason Kelce offers career update as both brothers try to soak in Super Bowl LVII "I didn't really look up as much. I probably should have," he later told reporters. "I was trying to calm myself down all day, trying to figure out what the hell I'm doing out here because I haven't played." Woods, playing alongside Rory McIlroy (67) and Justin Thomas (68), chipped into a bunker on 10, leading to one of three bogeys on the day. But he whipped the crowd into a frenzy as he drained a more-than 23-foot putt on 17 and finished five shots shy of clubhouse leaders Max Homa and Keith Mitchell (both 64). "I probably should have appreciated the fans more than I did, but there was so much going on in my head trying to get the ball in the correct spots and the correct feels just because I haven't done this in a while," said Woods. The tournament was suspended due to darkness with the handful of players who had not completed the first round set to resume on Friday at 7:45 a.m. (1545 GMT).

Genesis Invitational: Tiger Woods shoots 69 in his first non-major PGA Tour event since October 2020

Tiger Woods said on Friday he will play in next week's PGA Tour event in Los Angeles, marking his return to competitive golf after a seven-month absence as he recovers from injuries sustained in a 2021 car crash. The former world number one, whose appearances have been limited in the past two years since the 2021 car accident that left him with severe leg injuries, last played at the British Open in July. Writing on Twitter on Friday, Woods said he plans to play at the February 16-19 Genesis Invitational tournament at Riviera Country Club which he hosts and benefits his charitable foundation.

"I'm ready to play an ACTUAL PGA Tour event next week @thegenesisinv," Woods tweeted.

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I'm ready to play an ACTUAL PGA Tour event next week <a href="https://twitter.com/thegenesisinv?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thegenesisinv</a>
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Woods did not play in 2021 following his accident, which required several surgeries and drastically restricted his mobility. However, he made a stunning comeback at the Masters in Augusta last year, finishing in 47th place.

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He returned to play in the PGA Championship in May, but withdrew after 54 holes following a third round 79. Woods played again at the British Open at St. Andrews, where he missed the cut after an emotional second round at the spiritual home of golf.

The 47-year-old -- who won the last of his 15 major championships at the 2019 Masters -- had hoped to make his PGA Tour return at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas last December. He abandoned those plans after developing plantar fasciitis in his right foot, leaving him struggling to walk.

"After consulting with my doctors and trainers, I have decided to withdraw this week and focus on my hosting duties," Woods said at the time.

He did play in The Match, a 12-hole exhibition event in December as well as the PNC Championship, a low-key event alongside his son Charlie.

In November, Woods indicated that he expects to play just a handful of events outside of major championships in future.

"The goal is to play just the major championships and maybe one or two more. That's it," Woods said at the time. "I mean, that's physically, that's all I can do."

Woods was left hospitalized for weeks and unable to walk for months, with his right leg repaired with rods, plates and screws following his scary February 2021 rollover crash in California.

Woods said during the British Open last year he had feared not being able to walk again following his car accident.

"For the most part of my rehab I was just hoping that I could walk again, you know, walk normal and have a normal life and maybe play a little hit-and-giggle golf with my son or my friends at home," Woods said.

Tiger Woods said on Friday he will play in next week's PGA Tour event in Los Angeles, marking his return to competitive golf after a seven-month absence as he recovers from injuries sustained in a 2021 car crash.

Tiger Woods said on Friday he will play in next week's PGA Tour event in Los Angeles, marking his return to competitive golf after a seven-month absence as he recovers from injuries sustained in a 2021 car crash. The former world number one, whose appearances have been limited in the past two years since the 2021 car accident that left him with severe leg injuries, last played at the British Open in July. Writing on Twitter on Friday, Woods said he plans to play at the February 16-19 Genesis Invitational tournament at Riviera Country Club which he hosts and benefits his charitable foundation. "I'm ready to play an ACTUAL PGA Tour event next week @thegenesisinv," Woods tweeted. I'm ready to play an ACTUAL PGA Tour event next week @thegenesisinv — Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) February 10, 2023 × Woods did not play in 2021 following his accident, which required several surgeries and drastically restricted his mobility. However, he made a stunning comeback at the Masters in Augusta last year, finishing in 47th place. ALSO READ: UFC 284: Islam Makhachev, Alexander Volkanovski over with weigh-ins; battle for Lightweight title tomorrow He returned to play in the PGA Championship in May, but withdrew after 54 holes following a third round 79. Woods played again at the British Open at St. Andrews, where he missed the cut after an emotional second round at the spiritual home of golf. The 47-year-old -- who won the last of his 15 major championships at the 2019 Masters -- had hoped to make his PGA Tour return at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas last December. He abandoned those plans after developing plantar fasciitis in his right foot, leaving him struggling to walk. "After consulting with my doctors and trainers, I have decided to withdraw this week and focus on my hosting duties," Woods said at the time. He did play in The Match, a 12-hole exhibition event in December as well as the PNC Championship, a low-key event alongside his son Charlie. In November, Woods indicated that he expects to play just a handful of events outside of major championships in future. "The goal is to play just the major championships and maybe one or two more. That's it," Woods said at the time. "I mean, that's physically, that's all I can do." Woods was left hospitalized for weeks and unable to walk for months, with his right leg repaired with rods, plates and screws following his scary February 2021 rollover crash in California. Woods said during the British Open last year he had feared not being able to walk again following his car accident. "For the most part of my rehab I was just hoping that I could walk again, you know, walk normal and have a normal life and maybe play a little hit-and-giggle golf with my son or my friends at home," Woods said.

Tiger Woods announces his return following car crash, to compete in PGA Tour event in Los Angeles

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Golf: America's Nick Dunlap becomes first amateur since 1991 to win PGA Tour event

Golf: PGA Tour merges Canadian and Latin circuits, creates new player pathway

Genesis Invitational: Tiger Woods shoots 69 in his first non-major PGA Tour event since October 2020

Tiger Woods announces his return following car crash, to compete in PGA Tour event in Los Angeles