Nick Dunlap’s struggles with the driver resurfaced during the first round of the 2026 American Express, with another errant tee shot on the ninth hole highlighting an issue that continues to follow him.

As Monday Q Info posted on X, “My goodness. Nick Dunlap is not in a good place with his driver. On 9, he missed the pond….somehow was on land right of the pond.”

The discussion then turned to the yips, with the account adding, “The yips are so damn cruel.” 2018 John Deere Classic winner Michael S. Kim replied on X on Jan. 22, writing,

“I've dealt with it. It's not nearly as mental as many think it is. Yes, mental is a big part of it, but not as much with the driver because it's such a power motor function. At the very least, I'm confident you have to change the swing first. I think it's 80/20 swing vs mental.”

Dunlap’s ninth-hole miss stood out because it wasn’t a standard miss within a typical pro pattern, but one that ended so far right it avoided the water entirely. 

At the same time, the issue has also shown up in Dunlap’s own comments, as he has acknowledged that he has “no clear thoughts” over the ball, which can change the feel of every tee shot. 

Even so, the contrast in his game remains clear, with his ball-striking on approach often holding up while his driving continues to lag behind the field.

Michael S. Kim’s driver issues began after he turned pro

PGA Tour pro Michael S. Kim has spoken openly about his own issues with the yips, including driver and full-swing issues that began shortly after he turned professional in 2013. During that stretch, he explained that he had trouble keeping tee shots in play, even during casual money games.

Over time, Kim worked through the problem and has since identified the driver as a strength in his game. That progress has played a role in his results on both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour.

From Kim’s perspective, the path forward starts with physical and mechanical adjustments. He has credited major swing changes, along with a broader rebuild that included adding muscle, to help him regain control and produce shots with more consistency. 

By pairing those changes with equipment tweaks, Kim said he was able to replace old patterns with a different feel through the ball, which helped reduce the involuntary movement he associated with the yips.

Do you think driver yips start in the swing or the mind, and what’s the first fix you’d try?

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Joyita Das