Joel Dahmen signed for a bogey-free, 10-under 62, on Thursday at the Corales Puntacana Championship, setting a new tournament-record and marking his lowest round on Tour since the 2020 RSM Classic. With 10 birdies, he notched his most in a single round on Tour.
The 2021 champion is bidding for second victory in his 221st start on Tour aiming to become the first multiple winner of the event.
“I felt good. I get good feelings when I come back to this place, good vibes,” said the American. “The wind was probably the least we’ve played it in a long time and took advantage of it. Just putted really well today. Fairways are generous and I think I hit a bunch of ’em, and obviously got around the hole and made all those.
“I would say the Masters motivated me to get back on the golf course. I had a sour taste leaving [the Valero Texas Open] with the missed cut there. I needed the week off, I needed the refresher, I needed to get back home and just relax and get my mind right for these four weeks in a row. So far so good. I was very ready to play this week, I would say that. There’s sometimes it’s harder to wake up and be motivated when you’re doing this 25 weeks out of the year, but I was ready to play.”
2023 champion Matt Wallace of England carded a bogey-free 64 for a share of second place at 8-under alongside American Keith Mitchell, who made bogeys at the par-4s 10th and 16th, as well as south African Garrick Higgo who made one bogey at the par-4 5th.
The Corales Puntacana Championship is the first of three events where players can qualify for the next Signature Event, the Truist Championship, via the Aon Swing 5. The five players (not exempt via the Aon Next 10 or a higher category) who earn the most FedExCup points in the Corales Puntacana Championship, Zurich Classic of New Orleans and THE CJ Cup Byron Nelson, will qualify for the Truist Championship.
On Tuesday of tournament week, the PGA Tour and Groupo Puntacana announced a multi-year extension of the Corales Puntacana Championship.
