Extra Club in Bag Costs Joel Dahmen Four-Stroke Penalty, Threatening PGA Tour Status

Joel Dahmen’s hopes of retaining his PGA Tour card are hanging by a thread after a costly mistake at the Shriners Children’s Open. The 36-year-old golfer was handed a four-stroke penalty on Thursday for carrying an extra club, a blunder that could jeopardize his future on the tour.

Currently sitting at No. 124 in the FedEx Cup Fall standings, Dahmen is on the verge of losing his spot in the top 125, which is required to keep his PGA Tour status for 2025. With just a few events left, every stroke and every decision matters. Unfortunately for Dahmen, this error couldn’t have come at a worse time.

The Costly Mistake

Dahmen started the tournament solidly, making pars on his first two holes. However, things took a turn when he discovered on the fourth tee that he was carrying an extra 4-iron, meaning he had 15 clubs instead of the permitted 14. “I don’t know how it got there. It sucks. It sucks at the spot I’m in as well,” Dahmen shared with reporters after the incident.

Upon realizing the mistake, Dahmen self-reported the violation, which resulted in a penalty of two strokes for each hole he played with the extra club. Since the maximum penalty is four strokes per round, his first two pars were turned into double bogeys, instantly pushing him to last place. He ended the round with a score of five-over 76.

Who’s To Blame?

In a sport where precision is key, mistakes like this can have severe consequences. Dahmen, however, didn’t place the blame on his caddie, Geno Bonnalie. “I would like to blame Geno. That would be the easiest thing to do, but it’s not actually his fault either,” Dahmen said. He explained that he had played practice rounds on both Tuesday and Wednesday, and neither he nor his caddie noticed the extra club.

Dahmen expressed frustration over the situation but kept a lighthearted tone, adding, “It was one of those moments where you want to lose it, and you want to get mad… I have a Clif Bar that’s probably two months old in there. There’s probably a banana that’s rotting in that golf bag. There’s all sorts of crap in there.”

Climbing Back from a Setback

Now, 15 strokes behind the current leader, Canadian golfer Taylor Pendrith, Dahmen faces an uphill battle to climb back into contention. To make matters worse, only the top 65 players and ties move on to the weekend rounds, putting even more pressure on him to perform well in the next round.

Play was suspended due to darkness on Thursday, with eight players still needing to complete their first round. They will finish on Friday morning, with the second round beginning shortly after.

What’s Next for Dahmen?

There are only four fall events left on the calendar after the Shriners Children’s Open, and Dahmen must turn things around if he hopes to secure his card for the 2025 PGA Tour season. Each event is now critical for his standing in the FedEx Cup Fall rankings, and another mistake could mean the end of his tour status.

In a game of inches, Dahmen’s oversight may prove to be the deciding factor in whether or not he remains among the sport’s elite. The pressure is on, and the clock is ticking for him to make a comeback.

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