Tale of Two Thursdays: Dahmen’s Playoff Push and Japanese Dominance Highlight Opening Rounds originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Golf’s most dramatic stories often emerge when careers hang in the balance. Thursday delivered exactly that kind of theater — with Joel Dahmen fighting for his professional life in Greensboro, North Carolina, while Japan’s rising stars announced their presence at Royal Porthcawl, Wales.
Wyndham Championship: Dahmen’s Last Stand in North Carolina
Dahmen stepped onto the first tee at Sedgefield Country Club knowing the math was brutal. Sitting 101st in the FedEx Cup standings, he needed a runner-up finish in the Wyndham Championship — with no more than two other players — to make the playoffs.
His response? A career-tying 61 that left everyone scrambling to recalculate the possibilities.
The 36-year-old’s round wasn’t just good golf — it was survival instinct in action. Ten birdies. One bogey. Three consecutive birdies to close out the day. The kind of performance that makes you wonder if desperation might be the world’s most underrated performance enhancer.
“I’ve had like three top-twos in my career — I don’t know, four of them, maybe?” Dahmen said afterward, his self-deprecation intact despite the circumstances. “I mean, it’s not even a thing, right? Yeah, great to make the playoffs, that would be unbelievable, give me a lot of time off this fall. We’ve got a baby coming so that would take some pressure off of that.”
There’s something refreshingly honest about a guy who can shoot 61 and still joke about his lack of runner-up finishes. In 232 previous career starts, Dahmen has had one victory and three second-place showings. Thursday matched his previous career-low 61 from the 2020 RSM Classic, but this one carries the weight of an entire season.
He’s not alone in this playoff purgatory. Mark Hubbard fired a bogey-free 63 from the 98th spot in the standings, needing the same miracle finish. Sometimes the pressure of needing perfection actually liberates you.
“I think it’s all about how you look at it,” Hubbard explained. “For me I think it kind of takes the pressure off because it’s really hard to do that and it’s not something that you’re really thinking about. I’ve just got to go play super well and make a ton of birdies.”
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Veterans Playing Different Games
Jordan Spieth and Adam Scott both shot 65, but their motivations couldn’t be more different.
Spieth sits safely at No. 50 in the standings. His goal? Build momentum and potentially crack the top 50 after the first playoff event, which guarantees entry into all those lucrative $20 million signature events.
After missing out last year and needing exemptions following wrist surgery, he’s determined to avoid that scramble again.
Scott faces a more dire situation at No. 85, needing at least third place to extend his season beyond this week. “I’m going to need to get like 20-under to think of anything,” he admitted, “so I better not be 1-under through day one.”
Wild how the same score can mean completely different things depending on where you stand.
AIG Women’s Open: Japan Takes Over Wales
Across the Atlantic, the AIG Women’s Open belonged to Japan from the opening bell. Eri Okayama and Rio Takeda grabbed the lead at 5-under 67, with Miyu Yamashita one shot back.
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Okayama’s round was particularly gutsy given her recent back problems. After dropping a shot on the first hole, she reeled off five birdies in the next eight holes and played a clean back nine.
“My tee shots were pretty good today, so I was able to play without any major issues,” she said. “It was fun. I made one or two long putts, both about 5 meters long.”
Takeda showed equal resilience, bouncing back from a double-bogey on No. 9 with four back-nine birdies. When you add Shiho Kuwaki, Mao Saigo and Chisato Iwai — three more Japanese players tied for fourth — you’re looking at a potential rout.
Americans Hold Their Ground
The 20-player American contingent isn’t rolling over. Alexa Pano leads the charge at 3-under 69, and world No. 1 Nelly Korda lurks just two shots back despite Royal Porthcawl’s 108 bunkers and unforgiving layout.
“I definitely made some really good par saves on the back overall,” Korda said. “The wind definitely picks up when you get closer to the water.
“Overall, I’m happy with my scorecard. I would say it was pretty clean.”
Sarah Schmelzel summed up the course’s challenge perfectly: “I don’t think it has any bailouts really. It’s super, super demanding off the tee. If you don’t hit fairways, you’re basically trying to get up-and-down for par.”
That’s links golf in a nutshell — respect the course or it’ll chew you up.
What Friday Brings
Dahmen’s 61 has him leading by one, but everyone knows Thursday scores don’t win tournaments. Still, for a guy whose season was effectively over 18 holes ago, he’s bought himself three more days to chase a miracle.
On the women’s side, Japan’s early statement feels familiar — they’ve been golf’s most consistent international force for years. But with Korda and a deep American field lurking, this championship is far from decided.
Sometimes the best golf stories write themselves in real time. Thursday gave us two chapters worth watching unfold.
Related: The AIG Women’s Open Comes to Wales: What to Expect at Royal Porthcawl
Related: Destiny on Display: Lottie Woad Wins the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open
Related: The Indoor Golf Revolution: The Transformation Has Been Exciting to Witness
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
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