Nick Dunlap’s issues off the tee this year haven’t just been disappointing; they’ve been disqualifying in any pursuit of contention.

What Dunlap, twice a winner in his rookie campaign a year ago, hoped to be a sophomore surge turned nightmarish as the uber-talented 21-year-old lost all confidence with the driver. It was bad enough to erase what was otherwise a solid-enough statistical profile. While not outstanding in any area, Dunlap gained strokes in the other three major categories: Approach, Around the Green and Putting. Yet it mattered little with no confidence off the tee. He shot 90 at the Masters during the height of his issues.

That version of Dunlap is far from the version we’ve seen through two days at the World Wide Technology Championship, though. A slow build of confidence stemming from recent work with new swing coach Scott Hamilton is a big reason why.

Dunlap backed up an opening-round, course record-tying 61 with a 5-under 67 on Friday. He trails Matti Schmid by one stroke entering the weekend. He hit 27 of 28 fairways at the ultra-wide El Cardonal at Diamante Cabo San Lucas over two rounds.

“I played really solid, hit it where I was looking on pretty much every hole,” Dunlap said Friday.

It’s been a while since that was true. The two-time TOUR winner ranks dead last in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee this season. He’s lost a total of 97 strokes to the field. Frankie Capan III is the second-worst performer, but he’s lost only 67 strokes to the field. The miss has been in both directions, though left has been more prominent. Dunlap’s natural shot is a cut, but the ball hasn’t reliably mirrored that familiar curve, and he’s registered one of the highest rates of left misses on TOUR.

The most grueling of the struggles came at the Masters, when Dunlap made seven bogeys, four doubles, one triple, six pars and zero birdies in the opening round and signed for 18-over par 90. That night on the back deck of his Augusta Airbnb, Dunlap grabbed a bag of refurbished golf balls and began bashing away at them with driver, sending them out into the forest that lined the property.

“It's hard to put everything you have into something and feel like you're not getting any better… I don't have very clear thoughts at all when I'm on the golf course right now,” Dunlap said in a raw interview the next day. “Yesterday was like trying to hold on to a rope, and you can't hold on to it.”

Dunlap has worked with respected coach Josh Gregory for nearly two years, the duo teaming up shortly after Dunlap’s historic victory as an amateur at The American Express in 2024. Gregory, though, has served only as Dunlap's short game coach. Dunlap began working with Hamilton for his full swing ahead of the John Deere Classic in July, where he finished T11. Though that was more a blip than a sign of a turnaround. Dunlap missed his next three cuts to close the season. Finally, with an extended break ahead of the FedExCup Fall, Dunlap hammered home Hamilton’s teachings and began to see consistent results.

“I started to shoot some good numbers at home, which is that's where it starts,” Dunlap said. “It's hard to come out here and play a really good round if you're not doing it at home, it doesn't really kind of translate like that. So if you're playing good at home, playing good practice rounds, playing good the first couple days, just kind of try to keep that going, keep the confidence building.”

Dunlap complimented Hamilton’s ability to communicate complex issues simply, which was the key to unlocking confidence, more so than any major technique tweaks.

“He's a really smart guy,” Dunlap said.

Dunlap kept a clean card on Thursday alongside nine birdies and an eagle. He added seven more birdies on Friday, though Dunlap’s lone missed fairway was a reminder that his past troubles still lurk.

On his 16th hole of the day, the seventh at El Cardonal, Dunlap flared a 3-wood right of the fairway into a native area, forcing him to re-tee. He striped his second ball, stuck a lengthy approach to within 15 feet, but missed the putt and made double-bogey. That made the difference on the leaderboard, erasing a one-stroke lead. He trails Schmid by the same margin.

“Just (a) bad swing,” Dunlap said. “I try not to be too hard on myself, I'm allowed to make a bad swing here and there. I guess I've driven it really nicely off the tee. Just kind of wash it and move on.”

Dunlap is the only player in over 40 years to have a round of 61 or better and 90 or worse in the same PGA TOUR season, according to Justin Ray. It’s a reminder of Dunlap’s immense talent – which powered him to a historic amateur victory, the first in more than 30 years – but also how fragile it can all be in a mentally taxing sport that spares nobody.

Dunlap experienced the highest of highs on the PGA TOUR immediately. He's two more good days away at the World Wide Technology Championship from putting the lowest of the lows behind him.