Joel Dahmen has put together back-to-back bogey-free rounds at the Corales Puntacana Championship, firing a 6-under 66 on Friday to build a commanding four-shot lead at the halfway point. His 16-under 128 total sets a new 36-hole tournament record at the site of his lone PGA Tour victory.
Dahmen, who won here in 2021, has been flawless through two rounds at the Corales course. The timing couldn’t be better for him after narrowly keeping his Tour card last season. A win this week would secure his playing privileges for two more years.
What’s particularly impressive is how Dahmen has separated himself from the field despite some strong challenges. Stanford alum Michael Thorbjornsen matched his career-best with a 63 to climb into a tie for second at 12 under. He’s joined there by Garrick Higgo (68) and veteran Charley Hoffman (66).
Name
Events
Top 10
Money
Joel Dahmen
207
23
$12,248,632
The 16-under total isn’t just a tournament record—it’s also Dahmen’s career-low score through 36 holes. That’s saying something for a player who’s been on Tour since 2019.
While a victory wouldn’t earn Dahmen a spot in next year’s Masters, it would provide much-needed job security. That’s no small thing for a player who barely maintained his status last season.
Among those making the cut at 3-under 141 was Ben Polland, who’s preparing to defend his title at next week’s PGA Professional Championship.
