Nick Dunlap had an all-time forgetful Masters round. Here’s how he responded
Nick Dunlap was helpless; his swing in shambles. He put his tee in the ground, stationed his ball atop the sliver of wood — and everything after that was a mess. Even now, Dunlap has a million thoughts about his swing — and a million questions about those thoughts.
And there was no sense in Dunlap trying to explain every little thing he thought was wrong with his swing. Still, he offered an analogy.
“It’s like trying to bench press more than what you can and then put more weight on that and try to do it,” he said. “That’s kind of where I’m at off the tee right now.”
That came just minutes after the 21-year-old former Alabama star and U.S. Amateur champion finished dead last in his second Masters. Finishing at 17 over, six shots worse than anyone else in the field.
What will be remembered this week is the fact that Dunlap showed up to Augusta National on Thursday and signed his name on a scorecard that read 90. Pro golfers are not supposed to card 90s. Not in the Masters. Not anywhere.
And, it was something of a remarkable 90. Dunlap had no blow-up holes. This was nothing like Ernie Els six-putting on the first hole of the 2016 Masters — a quintuple bogey. Dunlap only had one triple bogey. Heck, during his entire opening round at the Masters, he never even three-putted. And yet, he shot 90!
Dunlap did not card the worst score in Masters history, but he was close. Billy Casper shot a 106 two decades ago, but didn’t sign his scorecard, meaning the highest official score in a Masters round belongs to Charles Kunkle, who tallied a 95 in 1956.
The last man to eclipse 90 at the Masters was Ben Crenshaw (91) in 2015. But that was Crenshaw’s farewell tour to the tournament he won twice. He was 63 years old. Dunlap is 21 and playing in his second Masters.
It was over before he started.
His first drive of the day Thursday ended up in the gallery. His drive on No. 3 ended up in the second fairway. His drive on No. 5 landed in the trees. He found the water at every hole on Amen Corner (Nos. 11, 12 and 13).
And, in some ways, it’s sort of incredible he managed to shoot 90. That at no point did he crumble. At no point did he throw his hands up and let the golf course swallow him up.
Which brings us to Friday.
He did a pair of momentous things. First, he actually played. He did not come up with an ailment or soreness or tightness or whatever sort of excuse that could perhaps explain a 90 and justify a withdrawal.
“I would never let myself do that. Never going to quit,” Dunlap said. “I’ve never withdrawn from anything. I’ve never teed it up and not finished. I take pride in that, and that’s always how I’m going to be.”
Instead, he had his trainer Clarke Holter run to Target on Thursday night and buy whatever type of golf ball he could find. Brands didn’t matter. Color didn’t matter. They were only going to be used once.
In the back yard of his Airbnb, Dunlap pounded ball after ball into the woods. There was a knot in his stomach he was trying to untangle. The only temporary catharsis was blasting golf balls into the abyss. Maybe there were houses out there, but there was no time to check.
“It’s frustrating. There’s a lot of anger, a lot of — it’s hard to put everything you have into something and feel like you’re not getting any better,” he said.
Then there was his round. He stepped to the first tee at 12:50 p.m., at the site of where it all went wrong on Thursday. And, well, it felt like déjà vu. His opening drive Friday hooked way left into the pine straw and, just like that, it felt like a day where Dunlap might just be lucky to break 90.
“(I was trying) not to let yesterday carry over into today,” he said. “Yesterday was like trying to hold onto a rope and you can’t hold onto it. It’s a really, really bad feeling.”
Friday was amazing because on every few holes, it looked like Dunlap’s grip was straining and that rope was going to fly through his fingers. His drive on No. 3 — which he even hit with an iron — sliced into the patrons. His drive on the eighth tee went into the ninth fairway. His drive on 9 nearly went into the 8 fairway. He dropped his club a quarter-second after his tee shot on 11, which landed among the patrons.
You get the point. Yet that was the case both Thursday and Friday. The first, he shoots a 90. The second, he cards a 71. The only difference was he didn’t lose a ball. As long as he could find his drive and it was dry, Dunlap was great.
“I take pride in that,” Dunlap said. “But the problem didn’t just go away.”
Of course not, but it’s now clear that Dunlap’s problem is singular. His mind goes haywire when he’s on the tee box. But iron play, putting, mental fortitude, desire, composure, moxie? That’s all solidified.
As Dunlap walked off the 18th green, veteran Billy Horschel — who also missed the cut — put his arm around the 21-year-old. He told Dunlap how impressed he was that he even showed up Friday, and offered some wisdom about the future.
“I believe in karma,” Horschel said.
Masters TV, stream schedule
- Saturday: Round three, noon to 2 p.m., Paramount Plus; 2-7 p.m., CBS
- Sunday: Round four, noon to 2 p.m., Paramount Plus; 2-7 p.m., CBS
This story was originally published April 11, 2025 at 7:50 PM with the headline "Nick Dunlap had an all-time forgetful Masters round. Here’s how he responded."
