Joel Dahmen, caddie Geno Bonnalie bring ‘Full Swing’ fun to Sanderson Farms Championship

JACKSON, Miss. — There was a time when Tuesday before the Sanderson Farms Championship would be a day Joel Dahmen dreaded. Spending hours walking a course just for a practice round? No thanks.

But as chatter about the NFL, Russell Wilson and Washington football emerged from Dahmen’s foursome at The Country Club of Jackson, it became apparent his outlook on the day has changed.

Practice rounds are no longer something to hate. They’re a chance to prepare for a weekend while hanging out with friends – even if the group includes a former Oregon Duck in Ben Crane.

“I enjoy it,” Dahmen told the Clarion Ledger afterward. “This is a great time. Obviously, you can still be serious about your game and spend time on the practice round. We’re very lucky that we get to spend hours upon hours and weeks upon weeks with our best friends. Typical jobs don’t allow you to do that.”

Whatever worked in that practice round has translated to a strong start for the Clarkston, Washington, native who entered the week at No. 86 in the FedEx Cup Fall standings.

The top 125 secure PGA Tour cards for next season, and he did his part to stay in position. Dahmen is 8-under through two rounds, five shots behind the leader as of the end of his round Friday.

“It’s nice to be around,” Dahmen said. “I’m hitting the ball in play. If I can just kind of sharpen up the irons, I think I can kind of hang around this weekend.”

Joel Dahmen’s rise on Netflix’s ‘Full Swing’

Dahmen has become one of the most recognizable figures on the PGA Tour, and not only because of his bucket hat and mustache. Dahmen was a star on the Netflix series “Full Swing.” His personality and matter-of-factness, along with his bond with caddie Geno Bonnalie, made him relatable to the average fan.

Dahmen wasn’t sure if he’d even get featured in the series, which cataloged a wild year in professional golf, including the tension between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour. Instead, he got an episode dedicated to him. It has resulted in larger groups watching, and cheering, as he plays.

“It was a big adjustment,” Dahmen said. “Most golfers get famous because they win majors, win big events and they’re top 10 in the world. I kind of got famous from a TV show. It’s a little bit different, but it’s great. I’d say 99.9 percent of it has always been positive. It’s fun to show up on the first tee and have people around rooting for you and cheering you on. It gives me just a little extra motivation when things aren’t going well.”

Dahmen has one career win on the PGA Tour. This season, he’s missed 12 of 28 cuts. He has either missed the cut or finished outside the top 60 in 11 of his last 12 tournaments.

“Unfortunately, we’ve been down a rough path,” Dahmen said. “I do feel like the game has slipped in the past month or two.”

He finished T-13 at the Sanderson Farms Championship in 2022, which gave him a touch of confidence coming into this week and the fall.

“I feel like this is a beginning of the fall for me,” Dahmen said. “Four of the next five weeks I’m playing. I’m excited for it. This is a course I can play well at. The field isn’t as strong as some of those bigger ones, so it gives us a little more hope that we don’t just play against all those Ryder Cuppers.”

How will Dahmen wind down after two quality days? He’ll be tuning in to watch the afternoon play. He doesn’t want to miss Bonnalie’s work as part of the broadcast crew.

“Geno is exceptional at that stuff,” Dahmen said. “He did a little bit last year. Just some of the commentary that he has with me, I hope that he gets to show on the broadcast. He’s going to be great.”