Apr. 21—An incredible, record-breaking first three days ended in “shock” and heartbreak for Joel Dahmen at the Corales Puntacana Championship on Sunday at Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
After breaking the course and 36-hole records at the site of his only previous PGA Tour victory, the Clarkston native bogeyed his final three holes of the fourth round to fall one shot out of first place.
Dahmen’s three straight bogeys included a miss from 1 foot on No. 17.
“I think I’m in a little bit of shock, honestly,” Dahmen said. “It’s not how you win a golf tournament, I’ll tell you that. I don’t deserve to win it.”
Dahmen had a final-round 76 and a 275 total. His first three rounds were 62, 66 and 71. A heavy wind on the final two days played a factor in lower scores across the board.
Garrick Higgo of South Africa won the event with a 72 on Sunday and a 14-under 274 total. It was the second ever PGA Tour event for Higgo, stealing what would have also been the second for Dahmen.
The 25-year-old Higgo’s first win was 2021’s Palmetto Championship. The 37-year-old Dahmen’s was the Corales Puntacana Championship that same year.
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“This one could take a while to get over,” Dahmen said. “It’s one of those things you learn more in defeat, unfortunately. I don’t know what I’m going to learn from this yet. I still think I’m in a little bit of a shock.”
The shot that may take the longest to get over was the 1-foot par putt that lipped around the left part of the cup.
“I don’t know what happened with the short one on 17,” Dahmen said with a sigh. “I’m obviously nervous, but unfortunately I’m prone to that at times.”
Dahmen missed a tougher 8-foot putt for his final bogey on No. 18. He had birdies on Nos. 4 and 11.
He tied for second with Alejandro Tosti (68), Keith Mitchell (71), Jeremy Paul (72) and Michael Thorbjornsen (73). Thorbjornsen missed a 4-foot par putt on 18.
Dahmen said he tried to use his nervous adrenaline to attack and stay on the offense, and that he was in a good head space, but his body just didn’t cooperate at times.
“I tried to stay aggressive with my golf swings, and I did,” Dahmen said. “But it just didn’t work out. It sucks.”
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