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Watch: Alabama's Nick Dunlap lips out birdie putt for a would-be 59

2023 U.S. Amateur champion Nick Dunlap at the 2023 Walker Cup at the Old Course in St. Andrews. (Photo: Chris Keane/USGA)

A sub-60 round has never happened in college golf.

Nick Dunlap was a lip-out birdie putt from being the first.

Playing with his Alabama Crimson Tide teammates in the Hamptons Intercollegiate at Maidstone Golf Club in East Hampton, New York, Dunlap was on his 36th hole of the day.

He had already posted a 69 and he was 12 under through 17 on his second 18 when he faced a putt of about eight feet for a closing birdie. Had it dropped, he would’ve notched a 59 and become the first to reach that hallowed ground in the college game.

But – if we haven’t spoiled the video yet – it wasn’t meant to be.

Dunlap opened par-eagle-birdie to get things going and made the turn in 5-under 30. He then birdied the 10th, parred the 11th and then ripped off six straight birdies. He had 10 birdies in all but couldn’t quite get that last one to drop.

Nonetheless, Dunlap signed for a 60 to become the 18th golfer in the men’s college game to do so.

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