By Lee Davis
Sometimes golfers get on hot streaks that make them virtually unstoppable.
In 1971, Lee Trevino swept the U.S., British and Canadian Opens in a matter of weeks. In 2000-2001, Tiger Woods owned the championships of all four major tournaments at the same time.
Nick Dunlap may not be as experienced as Trevino or Woods, but he’s been on a special roll of his own.
Dunlap, a 12-year-old student at Berry Middle School, shot an incredible 11-under-par 59 at the highly respected Highland Park Golf Course during a Birmingham Golf Association Junior Tour event on June 15. He made the turn in 29 strokes and sunk a 2-foot birdie putt on 18 to break the magic 60 number. Dunlap scored eagles on the second and 12th holes and earned birdies on one, three, five, six, eight and nine before ending with the final birdie on 18. Highland Park measures at 4,864 yards.
But the epic round wasn’t Dunlap’s only impressive accomplishment in recent weeks. On June 13, he shot a 64 at Greystone Founder’s Course in another BGA event. A couple of weeks earlier, Dunlap fired a double eagle two on Shoal Creek’s vaunted sixth hole as he shot a 70 in yet another BGA event. He won all three tournaments. Dunlap also won his age division in the Preston Thornton Future Masters Tournament in Dothan earlier this summer. He put together a three-day total of 5-under-par 205 to claim the championship at the Dothan Country Club course.
Dunlap, a rising seventh-grader at Berry Middle School, said the secret to his golden stroke isn’t so secret.
“It’s just a lot of practice,” he said. “Sometimes the work pays off. When you’re on the right course and playing well, good things can happen.”
Dunlap said he has been playing golf for about six years. His introduction to the game came almost by accident.
“I was trying to decide which sport I wanted to play,” he recalled. “And then I went out to a golf course with my dad. I fell in love with golf from the beginning.”
Greystone’s Founder’s Course serves as Dunlap’s home course, which he also says is his favorite place to play.
“There are a lot of great courses around here, but Greystone Founder’s is the one I’m most accustomed to playing,” he said. “It just fits my game so well. I’m happy to play most anywhere.”
Although he’s not yet a teenager, Dunlap already has a clear goal for his life.
“My dream is to play on the PGA tour one day,” he said. “It will take a lot of work, but that’s what I’d really like to do.”
If past is prologue, Nick Dunlap is well on his way.
