Joel Dahmen returns to the RSM Classic with his PGA Tour status once again hanging in the balance, but this time with a dramatically different perspective.
Dahmen sits at No. 117 in the FedExCup standings heading into this week’s season finale at Sea Island. It’s a familiar position for the 37-year-old, who provided one of last season’s most memorable moments when he drained a pressure-packed 5-footer to make the cut at this same event, eventually finishing tied for 35th to secure the 124th and penultimate spot in the standings.
But the stakes are higher this year. Finishing inside the top 125 isn’t enough anymore – Dahmen needs to crack the top 100 to earn full status for 2026. That means he’ll need at least a two-way tie for sixth this week.
What’s different now is what’s waiting for him at home. Dahmen skipped last week’s Bermuda Championship to be with his wife Lona, who gave birth to their second child on Saturday – a son named Dawson.
“The new addition to the family combined with the rigors of playing tour golf have helped temper my expectations this fall,” Dahmen said during Wednesday’s pro-am at Sea Island.
Even if Dahmen doesn’t pull off another Sea Island miracle, he’ll retain conditional status for next season. That should still give him between 10 and 15 starts in 2026 – a cushion that, along with his growing family, likely explains his more measured approach this time around.
