Nick Dunlap will compete in a weekend round on the PGA Tour for the first time since January after making the cut at the Zurich Classic.
After he and Sargent confirmed their spot in the weekend, Dunlap discussed whether his challenging stretch had been troubling him and how he felt about finally making a cut.
“I just think it’s nice to see my game kind of going in the right direction,” Dunlap said after the second round on Friday. “It’s been a lot better at home even the last couple of weeks. I hadn’t quite put it together, but it’s been better. It’s felt better, and it’s nice to see some better tee shots. It’s nice to kind of get some putts to fall, so yeah, for sure.”
The Dunlap-Sargent duo did more than just make the cut. After two rounds, they were positioned just two shots behind leaders Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer at 16-under par and one stroke behind pre-tournament favorites Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick.
In opening round four-balls, Dunlap and Sargent posted a 12-under 60 before recording a 2-under par 70 in foursomes the next day. The Zurich Classic presents a unique challenge, as players must abandon their usual routines and adapt to competing alongside a partner, making it harder to find the rhythm that comes with playing every shot on a hole.
“Yeah, it’s definitely tough to get in a rhythm as far as, like, you may putt on a hole and then not putt for three holes later or you may hit a tee shot and not hit,” Sargent said. “I think we tried to give each other as many opportunities as possible.
“Obviously you’re not going to be overly aggressive, but trust in each other knowing that I hit a couple of his shots and he picked me up.”
While Dunlap and Sargent are partners today, they were fierce competitors not so long ago, both in college golf and the amateur circuit. At the 2023 US Amateur, Dunlap beat Sargent in match play en route to claiming the coveted title.
Dunlap’s ascent continued shortly thereafter. At The American Express in 2024, he became the second-youngest winner on the PGA Tour in 90 years and the first amateur to win on tour since Phil Mickelson in 1991.
His upward momentum has stalled somewhat since then, but at just 22 years old, a strong performance at the Zurich Classic could deliver the boost in confidence necessary to help him compete more regularly at the top level.