Patrick Fishburn leads at Sea Island as Joel Dahmen keeps alive hopes of keeping his job
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) — PGA Tour rookie Patrick Fishburn played bogey-free for an 8-under 64 for his first lead after any round. Joel Dahmen was 10 shots behind and had a bigger cause for celebration Friday in the RSM Classic.
Dahmen made a 5-foot par putt on his final hole for a 2-under 68 in tough conditions brought on by the wind and cold, allowing him to make the cut on the number and get two more days to secure his PGA Tour card for next year. He is No. 124 in the FedEx Cup.
“I still got more to write this weekend for sure,” said Dahmen, who recently had said his story is not yet over. “But without having the opportunity to play this weekend, my story would be a lot shorter this year.”
Fishburn took advantage of being on the easier Plantation course, with trees blocking the brunt of the wind and two additional par 5s. He also was helped by Maverick McNealy, who opened with a 62 on the tougher Seaside course, making two bogeys late in his round and having to settle for a 70.
Fishburn, who already has locked up his card for next year, was at 11-under 131 and led McNealy and Lee Hodges (63) going into the weekend. Michael Thorbjornsen had a 69 and was the only player who had to face Seaside on Friday who was among the top five.
What mattered on this day, however, was far down the leaderboard.
The RSM Classic is the final tournament of the PGA Tour season, and only the top 125 in the FedEx Cup have full status in 2025. That’s more critical than ever with the tour only taking the top 100 for full cards after next season. Players like Dahmen will need full status to get as many playing opportunities as they can.
That explains why he felt so much pressure on a Friday. He didn’t make a bogey after his opening hole and was battling temperatures in the low 50s that felt even colder with the wind ripping off the Atlantic waters of St. Simons Sound. He made a key birdie on the 14th, hitting a 4-iron for his second shot on the 424-yard hole.
Dahmen also hit wedge to 2 feet on the 16th that put him on the cut line, and from the 18th fairway, he was safely on the green some 40 feet away. But he lagged woefully short, leaving himself a testy 5-footer with his job on the line.
“It was a great putt. I was very nervous,” Dahmen said. “But there’s still work to do. It wasn’t the game-winner, it was like the half-court shot to get us to halftime. But without that, and the way I played today, I wouldn’t have anything this weekend.”
His playing partners weren’t so fortunate. The tour put three in danger of losing their cards in the same group — Zac Blair (No. 123), Dahmen and Wesley Bryan (No. 125).
The cut was at 1-under 141. Blair and Bryan came to the 18th hole needing birdie to be assured of making the cut and both narrowly missed. Now they have to wait to see if anyone passes them, which is typically the case.
Thorbjornsen in a tie for fourth and Daniel Berger (66 at Plantation) in a tie for 17th both were projected to move into the top 125. Dahmen, indeed, still has work to do.
Fishburn gets a weekend to see if he can end his rookie year with a win.
“I’ve had a lot of experience playing in cold growing up in Utah, playing this time of year, kind of get used to playing when the body’s not moving very well and you’ve got to move your hands,” said Fishburn, who played college golf at BYU. “Just pretty happy with how I played.”
Ludvig Aberg, the defending champion and No. 5 player in the world competing for the first time in more than two months because of knee surgery, bounced back with a 64 on Plantation and was back in the mix.
Aberg played with Luke Clanton, the Florida State sophomore who looks like he belongs each week. Clanton, the No. 1 player in the world amateur ranking who received a sponsor exemption, had a 65 at Plantation and was two shots off the lead.
Clanton already has a runner-up and two other top 10s since June.
“Playing with him, it’s pretty awesome to watch,” Clanton said. “We were kind of fanboying a little it. I know he’s a really good dude but to be playing with him and to see what he’s done over the last couple years, it’s pretty inspirational.”
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