After a tricky opening spherical on the RSM Basic, Joel Dahmen knew the stress would ramp up on Friday.
He started his spherical two pictures off the reduce line. A missed reduce this week would finish any hopes of him ending among the many high 125 within the FedEx Cup Fall, and thus forestall him from incomes a PGA Tour card for the 2025 season. So, after a pedestrian spherical that featured an opening-hole bogey and three birdies, Dahmen confronted a 40-footer for birdie on the 18th gap.
Sitting at 1-under-par for the championship, and proper on the 36-hole reduce, Dahmen raced it six toes previous the opening. This putt abruptly had every thing on the road. If he made it, he earned a Saturday morning tee time, which might give him a possibility to enhance his standing within the rankings. If he missed it, he might kiss this season—and subsequent yr—goodbye.
“You may’t get away from something,” Dahmen defined in regards to the stress this week.
“The room’s slightly extra quiet round you. Like a pitcher throwing a no-hitter, however it’s slightly totally different. As soon as I missed the reduce in Bermuda final week, stress has been excessive. You don’t sleep as nicely.”
So Dahmen stepped as much as his putt, lined up his ball slightly exterior the best edge, and drained it. He even gave an emphatic fist-pump, understanding all too nicely what that make meant.
“It was an excellent putt. I used to be very nervous,” Dahmen admitted.
“However there’s nonetheless work to do. It wasn’t the sport winner, it was just like the half court docket shot to get us like at halftime. However with out that and the best way I performed at present, I wouldn’t have something this weekend. I’m hoping I play nice this weekend and I hit 36 greens and I simply form of plod my means round and it’s tremendous simple, however that’s not the best way golf is. Actually happy with myself at present, however there’s nonetheless work to do.”
Loads of work stays because the PGA Tour presently tasks Dahmen to complete at 126th. That might be a heartbreaking end ought to it come to that.
However he wouldn’t have this chance had he not drained one of many ‘most annoying’ putts of his profession.
“I feel it’s by far received to be probably the most,” Dahmen mentioned when requested the place this putt ranked by way of stress stage.
“I’ve had different annoying conditions, however understanding like that’s all on the road for the yr was robust. To hit my lag putt to 5 or 6 toes was not nice, I hoped simply to stroll up and faucet that one in. Simply made it extra annoying. However I feel the end result of every thing, this can be a lengthy yr and hasn’t been the best way I wished it to go, however understanding not having your finest stuff you’re nonetheless form of hanging round and to have the ability to grind it out at present was actually nice.”
Dahmen has now given himself an opportunity this weekend, however he trusts himself, his household and his sport, understanding that no matter occurs, occurs.
“I nonetheless received extra to jot down this weekend, for certain, however with out having the chance to play this weekend, my story can be loads shorter this yr I’d say,” Dahmen mentioned.
“You realize, no matter occurs this weekend, my story’s nonetheless not achieved. I’ve loads left in me and I’m going to provide my all, however this weekend’s large, for certain.”
For it to work out for Dahmen can be a good way to finish what has been a rollercoaster season for the previous Washington Husky. But when it’s not meant to be, Dahmen will probably be again—in some kind or one other. He at all times finds a means, it doesn’t matter what.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. Make sure you try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.
