PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — Joel Dahmen has positioned himself favorably as he heads into the final round of the Corales Puntacana Championship, holding a three-stroke advantage after Saturday’s play. Striving to secure a wire-to-wire victory at the same venue where he clinched his only PGA Tour win, Dahmen is hoping to replicate his 2021 triumph.
Securing a win on Sunday would be especially meaningful for Dahmen, as it would grant him a two-year exemption on the tour, a crucial prize after he barely managed to retain his PGA Tour card last year. Dahmen’s 17-under-par 199 total comes as a result of an impressive start in the tournament, with initial rounds of 62 and 66, setting a new record for the tournament’s 36-hole score.
Currently tied for second place at 14 under are Michael Thorbjornsen, Chan Kim, and Garrick Higgo. Thorbjornsen, a Stanford graduate who attained his card via the PGA Tour University ranking system, and Higgo both posted scores of 70, while Kim finished with a 69 for the day.
Trailing closely behind, with a score of 13 under par, are Vince Whaley, who carded a 66, along with Jeremy Paul and Ben Martin, each scoring 67. Meanwhile, entering the tournament with the intention to defend his title next week in the PGA Professional Championship, Ben Polland finds himself tied for 54th at 3 under after posting a 72 for his Saturday round.