Clarkston native Joel Dahmen has vested interest in climbing PGA ladder

Joel Dahmen’s first PGA Tour win didn’t change the person or the player, but it did wonders for his confidence and short- and long-term security.

The Clarkston native is still living out a dream with caddie and long-time friend Geno Bonnalie, still crafting comical Twitter posts and still playing a non-bomber style that isn’t the norm for many of golf’s biggest names.

Those are essentially givens, like the bucket hat he wears on the course.

Dahmen has always done things his way, and that included being the guest of a honor at a small party on the eve of his breakthrough victory in March at the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship in the Dominican Republic.

No, it wasn’t a presumptuous celebration of the following day’s events. The gathering honored Dahmen’s new status as vested in the tour’s performance-based pension plan. That’s a big deal, he said, and a nod to his consistency.

“Not that many people know that, but it was my 15th event in my fifth year,” Dahmen said of reaching the requirements. “We probably have the best retirement in all of sports.”

He went out the next day and added another layer to his security blanket, conquering blustery conditions for a nervy one-stroke win. He earned a $540,000 check and a two-year tour exemption.

“As well as I’ve played over the years, I’ve never had any exemptions,” Dahmen said. “It was always, ‘Do it again this year.’ ”

Dahmen earned win No. 1 in his 111th tour start. He came in flailing – missed cuts in six of his seven previous events – and left with a long-awaited trophy.

The victory mirrored his professional journey. Nothing has come easy for Dahmen, who recovered from testicular cancer in 2011. He grinded on stepping-stone tours, improved each year and learned to be more comfortable when he’s in contention.

He spent five seasons on the Mackenzie Tour in Canada before graduating to the Web.com Tour, now known as the Korn Ferry Tour. He earned his PGA Tour card a few years later and has made incremental progress over the last five seasons.

That’s why there were emotional embraces on the 18th green with wife Lona, who worked two jobs at times during his mini-tour days, and Bonnalie. Dahmen also made phone calls to his dad, Ed, and coach, Rob Rashell.

Rashell and Dahmen have worked for months on chipping, a weakness in Joel’s game, and numerous clutch up-and-downs were a key reason for Dahmen’s first win.

Ed and late wife Jolyn, who passed away from cancer in 2005, made countless sacrifices so Joel could develop his game as a youngster.

“My dad probably doesn’t get enough credit, him and my mom,” Dahmen said. “We moved to Clarkston and built a house close to a course, and that was the result of me having some potential.

“We drove all over place, stayed in Motel 6s when others were in Marriotts. Just the time and energy he was willing to spend. He was always reading books to learn more (about golf). A lot of late nights driving home in the dark from Clarkston Country Club.

“I was also fortunate for Doug Phares, he was Clarkston’s pro when I was 11, 12, and we’re still friends. I had a key to open and lock the gate so I could go early and stay late. He let me be a kid, and a lot of the members let me play there. It took a village, and Clarkston was an awesome village.”

It took a while for Dahmen to find his way in the PGA village. Like most newcomers, his rookie season came with the relentless stress of trying to perform and maintain his card on tough courses in cities that were new to him.

Beyond the on-course challenges, he temporarily muzzled his fun-loving personality and was careful not to ruffle any feathers.

“That first year, maybe you’re trying to be what a pro golfer should be, but I wasn’t necessarily myself,” Dahmen said. “You’re just trying not to get in anybody’s way instead of saying hey to people and joking around.

“For me, I’m comfortable in my own skin, confident in who I am. I grew up in a great place. Lewiston and Clarkston is more of a blue-collar work ethic. We had everything we wanted but nothing too fancy. It’s not lost on me that we get to play on the PGA Tour and just how lucky and special that is. It was more that second year when it was, ‘I think I can do this,’ and I started playing better. Every year you get more comfortable.”

Dahmen’s first win gave him the freedom to adjust his schedule and concentrate on bigger events and the season-ending FedEx Cup playoffs.

“I’ve played a lot in previous years, and my performance hasn’t been good at the end of a long year playing 28-30 events,” he said. “I’m picking my spots a little more.”

The 33-year-old is bringing more belief to the first tee, a byproduct of his first win. In addition to improved chipping, Dahmen made a bunch of short putts, a portion of his game that hasn’t always been a strength, to arrive in the winner’s circle.

“I always believed I would (win), but when you get to 100-plus events it’s like, ‘I wonder when it’s going to happen,’ ” he said. “Hopefully one leads to two and three, four, five. It wasn’t the biggest event or the toughest field or a major, but just knowing I can get it done was huge.”

Dahmen finished tied for 18th at the Wells Fargo Championship earlier this month after hilarious Twitter exchanges with Phil Mickelson prior to playing together in the first two rounds. Mickelson had the better of it early, leading the field after a first-round 64, but faded to 69th after a pair of 76s on the weekend.

“He’s one of the better trash-talkers on tour,” Dahmen said. “We traded numbers and anytime I want to play a practice round he said to let him know.”

Dahmen leans on ball-striking, notably his driving accuracy and solid iron play. He’s made strides on and around the greens, but there’s room for growth in those areas. He noted that his 1-under 283 at the Wells Fargo was “probably as high as I could shoot for four days. I just didn’t putt well.”

Dahmen resisted the temptation to make major changes during a slump earlier this season. Instead, he stayed with his game plan, which is proven with 13 top 10s and roughly $7 million in career earnings.

Drives of 340-plus yards seem commonplace at every tour event. As of mid-May, 66 players averaged at least 300 yards, but Dahmen checked in at 295.2 yards, tied for 115th.

What he lacks in distance, he makes up for in direction.

“I thought about looking into distance and chasing it a little bit,” Dahmen said. “I work with some data guys and analytics. I don’t hit it that far, but I’ve always been in the top 30 or so in driving efficiency.

“There are times where their hybrid goes 250, and I can hit driver straight and gain 20-30 yards. At harder courses, I can keep pecking away at it and not make many mistakes, play a little more conservative and maybe more to the center of the green.”

It’s added up to Dahmen being a steady presence the last four seasons inside the top 80 in the FedEx Cup and world golf rankings. He’s qualified for the FedEx playoffs the last three years and he’s on track to do so again at No. 66 currently. He’s No. 68 in the world rankings.

“It’s just being a little bit better across the board. It’s not that much to the naked eye from a guy trying to make the cut to trying to be in the top 50, but in golf it is,” he said. “I’m hitting it a little straighter, my chipping and putting have improved year after year.

“I have a better strategy, understand my swing better and Geno is caddying better. We have more experience and we’re not making as many silly mistakes. I’m more consistent off the course, too. I work with a trainer, my diet is better.”

Everything points toward more success in the future.

“I know that I’m good enough,” he said. “I’m not worried about keeping my card anymore. The goal is to win more, top 50 in the world, make the Tour Championship. The top 30 comes with a lot of exemptions.

“I think I can get there, believe I can get there and hopefully I’ll be there by the end of the year.”