“Dad had to get that flex in” – Fans react to Nick Dunlap’s father claiming that the amateur had shot a 59 when he was 12

Fans on social media have reacted to Nick Dunlap's father's bold claim that the youngster shot a round of 59 at the age of 12.

Nick Dunlap, who won the US Amateur in 2023 and made history by being only the second player to win both the US Amateur and US Amateur Junior, has frequently demonstrated his skill in amateur competitions. The youngster carried that form into the PGA Tour event last week.

With his victory at The American Express 2024, Dunlap became the youngest amateur golfer since 1910 to win on the PGA Tour. An amateur golfer has won on the PGA Tour for the first time in three decades.

The victory did not seem to come as a surprise to Nick Dunlap's father, who revealed in a recent interview that he was aware of his son's potential ever since Nick shot a round of 59 at the age of 12. Flushing Golf shared Jim's comment on its X (formerly Twitter) account:

Nick Dunlap’s Dad: “I knew my son had potential when he shot 59 at 12 years old."

Following Dunlap's success, fans flocked to the comments section to declare that he had good reason to flex as a father. One user commented:

"Dad had to get that flex in. Can’t blame him"

Another user wrote:

"59 at 12? Anyone want to buy my bag of clubs?"

One user commented:

"Yeah not many fluke 59s in this sport."

Here are more fan reactions:

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"It's hard not to be proud of your son" - Nick Dunlap's father on his son's victory

Nick Dunlap's father Jim, and his mother Charlene, were present on the golf course when the young American created history by winning on the PGA Tour. As Dunlap dropped his final putt on the 18th hole on Sunday, his father celebrated his son's victory with a long hug.

Later, when talking with the media, Nick's father got emotional and said (via Desert Sun):

"Somebody asked me about halfway through 'Do you think he's going to win?' and I was like 'Well, I don't know if he's going to win, but he is a grinder and I guarantee he's going to have some birdies toward the end,' and he did."

Jim Dunlap added:

"I think a few tears trickled out and I'm not a big crier, but it's hard not to be proud of your son who works his tail off and finds a way to win," he added.

It is important to note that Nick Dunlap became the eighth golfer in the history of the game to win on the PGA Tour as an amateur. He did not receive any money because of his amateur status, but was granted the right to play on the PGA Tour until 2026.