Joel Dahmen's Final-Round 64 Secures PGA Tour Card in Dramatic Finish
Joel Dahmen staged a remarkable final-round comeback at the RSM Classic to retain his PGA Tour card for 2025, moving from a projected 128th place to securing the crucial 124th spot in the FedEx Cup Fall standings.
After a devastating double-bogey on Saturday left him outside the top 125 cutoff, Dahmen delivered when it mattered most. He shot a bogey-free 64 in Sunday's final round, highlighted by a spectacular 110-yard hole-out eagle on the par-4 13th hole, followed by three consecutive birdies.
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The turning point came Saturday evening when Dahmen and his wife Lona had a heart-to-heart moment. "She was like, 'Well, you can still play golf tomorrow, right? It's not over,'" Dahmen recalled. "That was when the switch flipped for me to be able to pull myself back up."
The 37-year-old made early birdies and held steady with seven closing pars, including a crucial 6-foot putt on the final hole. His tie for 35th place was just enough to maintain his full Tour status, finishing one spot ahead of Sam Ryder, who claimed the final position at 125th.
"[Our son] was playing and Lona and I were just kind of sitting there and I was just staring off into the wall," Dahmen reflected. "She's like, 'Are you OK?' I'm like, no, I'm not OK. She's like, 'Well, you can still play golf tomorrow, right? It's not over.' And that was kind of one of those things, like the switch flipped. It was about two hours after the round probably when the switch flipped for me to be able to kind of pull myself back up for today."
After securing his card, Dahmen shared an emotional embrace with his wife, acknowledging the challenges of Tour life for families. "I'm glad it was a happy embrace," he said. "Being a Tour wife is not all glitz and glamour. I felt so bad for putting her through this much stress."
The victory ensures Dahmen retains his full PGA Tour membership for 2025, while players finishing 126th to 150th received conditional status.