To explain the tears shining beneath Nick Dunlap’s eyes, there’s a proud smile and a hug waiting from a major champion, there’s a celebration with a caddy they hardly foresaw five days ago and there’s a hug from a crying mom reduced to shocked but proud yells of “Oh my god!”

They were tears from a win that still hadn’t sunk in for the Alabama sophomore when he sat down in a virtual press conference nearly two hours after he’d hit the final shot to complete a dream he’d set since he was a little kid — to win on the PGA Tour.

Maybe it’s moments like these — when a 20-year-old shows just how much such the dream come true of a historic and improbable win means — that serve as a reminder of what sports are meant to be, anyway.

Dunlap’s historic win Sunday at The American Express at La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, California, is the first by an amateur on the PGA Tour since six-time major champion Phil Mickelson in 1991.

Dunlap put himself in position to win by shooting a 12-under-par 60 on Saturday, which gave him a three-shot lead after 54 holes to sleep on heading into Sunday.

He played in a final Sunday group along with fellow Crimson Tide product Justin Thomas as well as former LSU Tiger Sam Burns.

“Both those guys made me feel comfortable, and made me feel like one of them,” Dunlap said.

Burns closed down the gap to Dunlap after the amateur had a double-bogey on the 7th hole and an even-par 36 on the front nine.

But come the critical stretch over the final five holes, Dunlap played with the poise of a player far beyond his years.

Dunlap made a birdie on the 16th hole to tie Burns atop the leaderboard. Burns then hit his tee shot on the 17th hole into the water, providing an opening to for Dunlap to take the outright lead.

With a par on 17, Dunlap took the lead alone and with a par on 18, he sealed an emotional victory.

Dunlap said he took an extra few moments to think about the final putt on the final hole. A shot to win a professional golf tournament, he said, is the type of putt kids like him dream of when “whacking” the ball around on the green.

And for all the preparedness he could try to have, there was only so much he could do to be ready when that moment arrived.

Dunlap said he found out he’d been given a spot to play in the tournament less than a month ago.

And he went out and shot a tournament-record 29-under-par total score.

The win is another accolade on an already historic year. The Huntsville native won the United States Men’s Amateur championship this summer — the most prestigious trophy for amateurs. Auburn’s Megan Schofill won this year’s women’s championship.

Because Dunlap is an amateur, he cannot collect the $1.5 million check given to the event’s winner.

By virtue of winning the U.S. Amateur this summer, he has qualified to play at The Master’s Tournament in April regardless of his decision to turn pro. And as only a sophomore, he has not yet accrued enough points to earn his tour card through the PGA Tour University program.

But he can turn pro and forego the remainder of his eligibility should he choose. Regardless, he has earned full exemption into PGA Tour events through 2026. He can play in as many as he’d like. He is eligible for the PGA Tour’s new big-money signature events only if he turns professional.

He just only can be paid for competing if he becomes a professional. He said in his press conference he hasn’t made up his mind. It wasn’t an opportunity he’d considered to be any sort of potential reality just five days ago.

At just 20 years old, Dunlap’s win has put him in a position to make a tough decision.

First, he said has homework to do.

“Probably won’t do it though,” Dunlap said.

Matt Cohen covers sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at [email protected]