Justin Thomas, a seasoned golfer and two-time major winner, recently described a peculiar situation at the Arnold Palmer Invitational as “strange”, where 21-year-old rookie Nick Dunlap was forced to play his entire round solo due to the final field size being an odd number, 69. Thomas found it unusual that Dunlap had to navigate the course without a playing partner, relying solely on his caddie and a few volunteers to keep track of his score. This unexpected twist sparked Thomas’s comment, highlighting the unusual nature of Dunlap’s solo round.
This unusual situation actually affected two golfers – Xander Schauffele and Nick Dunlap. Schauffele, like Dunlap, found himself playing a round alone, albeit in different circumstances. Dunlap played his entire round solo due to the odd field size, while Schauffele’s solo round occurred during the final round, where only 51 pros remained after the cut. Despite the unusual circumstances, both golfers adapted to the situation, with Dunlap even expressing his comfort with playing alone.
Pairings and starting times for the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard pic.twitter.com/FjMfxAAUD8
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) March 9, 2025
This is a developing story…
The post Dubbed ‘Strange’ By Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele Suffers the Same Fate as 21-Year-Old PGA Tour Pro appeared first on EssentiallySports.
