Joel Dahmen’s celebration on the 18th green said it all, but he couldn’t help but say it aloud: “It’s really hard to win golf tournaments.”
After missing six of his last seven cuts, the 33-year-old bounced back this week at the PGA Tour’s Puntacana Resort and Club Championship, claiming the trophy by one shot over Sam Ryder and Rafael Campos, who lipped out a birdie putt on the 18th green to miss a playoff by one stroke.
Dahmen rode a 2-under 70 in the final round to hold off late charges from runners-up Ryder and Campos, as well as Graeme McDowell and Michael Gligic, who finished T-4 at 10 under.
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Good advice: Joel Dahmen’s wife ‘gives me a hug and a kiss and tells me to go kick butt’
“I was on cruise control today. It’s really hard to win golf tournaments,” said Dahmen. “I knew it was hard, but I can’t believe how hard it actually is. I was in control, I felt like I was doing — my body was just doing other things. Thankfully I had a couple good up-and-downs there on 16 and 17, and I don’t know how I tapped in that two- or three-footer there, but thankfully it went in.”
ALL the feels @CoralesChamp!
@Joel_Dahmen is officially a PGA TOUR winner.
pic.twitter.com/aFDfUm3xqx
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 28, 2021
The win is Dahmen’s first on Tour and third professionally after claiming the PC Finacial Open and Syncrude Boreal Open in 2014 on the PGA Tour Canada.
“Hopefully back home in Clarkston, Lewiston, you’re partying,” said Dahmen to his Washington friends. “Mesa Country Club (Arizona) boys open the tab, I’ll be home next week. This is unbelievable.”