The Extra Point: Alabama's Golf Weekend

Two Alabama golfers took to big stages this weekend, and one came out on top of the leaderboard.

Nick Dunlap chips a shot from 7th rough during final round of Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club in Detroit on Sunday, June 30, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

One former Alabama golfer had one of the biggest weekends of his career, as Nick Dunlap won the Barracuda Championship at Tahoe Mountain Club. He scored 49 points under the unique Modified Stableford system. It's his second career PGA Tour win, and the first in which he could take home the prize money; his other Tour win came when he was still an amateur.

Meanwhile, fellow former Crimson Tide golfer Justin Thomas did not fare as well at the British Open in Scotland. While he was right in the thick of things after a first-round 68, Thomas shot 7-over in his second round and was out of contention. He managed to make the cut but finished the event tied for 31st and 6-over. The event was won by Xander Schauffele, who also won the PGA Championship earlier this year. Thomas was again back in the 60s during his third round, carding a 67, but by then it was too late.

Coincidentally, Thomas has not collected a PGA Tour win since his comeback, playoff finish at the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills. Dunlap, still just 20 years of age, also won the U.S. Amateur almost a year ago and was the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson in 1991. Dunlap forfeited his exemption into the Open Championship when he turned professional. He is nevertheless the first player in Tour history to net a win both as an amateur and professional during the same season. Dunlap won the Barracuda by two points under the aforementioned scoring system.