Here’s a quiz: What’s a good way for an amateur golfer to get their name out to the masses? Winning the U.S. Amateur Championship is a good start.
And putting your name alongside Tiger Woods doesn’t hurt, either.
Alabama sophomore Nick Dunlap won the prestigious U.S. Am a couple of weeks ago, taking down Neal Shipley 4 and 3 in the final, to join Woods as the only players to win both the U.S. Am and U.S. Junior Am.
Dunlap was the most recent guest on GOLF’s Subpar podcast, and he broke down his victory, college golf at Alabama and more. But he was also asked — as someone who up until now most golf fans might be unfamiliar with — which pro player his game most resembles.
His answer? Dustin Johnson.
“I think my long game and driving are fairly similar,” Dunlap said. “I think over the past couple of years my putting has gotten a lot better. It’s something I’ve focused a lot on, especially this first year at Bama.”
Dunlap then took the question and transitioned into his improved putting.
“I was always fairly good inside of 10 feet and eight feet; it’s kind of my money range,” he continued. “Over the last year, coach and I have worked a lot on my speed and my lag putting. I think it’s something that was kind of shown the final match [of the U.S. Am]. It used to be I’d have to mark it every time from 30 or 40 feet, and not it’s gotten to a point where that’s either a gimme or I can tap it in. That’s taken a lot of stress off my irons and knowing that I can be confident enough just hitting it on the green somewhere where I can two-putt it and not worry about three-putting. It’s something that’s helped me a lot.”
For more from golf’s newest amateur champ — who is also playing in the Walker Cup this weekend — you can check out the full podcast below.
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