ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — PGA Tour rookie Patrick Fishburn performed bogey-free for an 8-under 64 for his first lead after any spherical. Joel Dahmen was 10 pictures behind and had a much bigger trigger for celebration Friday within the RSM Basic.
Dahmen made a 5-foot par putt on his remaining gap for a 2-under 68 in robust circumstances introduced on by the wind and chilly, permitting him to make the minimize on the quantity and get two extra days to safe his PGA Tour card for subsequent 12 months. He’s No. 124 within the FedExCup and projected at 126th after two rounds.
“I nonetheless bought extra to put in writing this weekend for certain,” stated Dahmen, who not too long ago had stated his story just isn’t but over. “However with out having the chance to play this weekend, my story can be so much shorter this 12 months.”
Fishburn took benefit of being on the simpler Plantation course, with bushes blocking the brunt of the wind and two extra par 5s. He additionally was helped by Maverick McNealy, who opened with a 62 on the harder Seaside course, making two bogeys late in his spherical and having to accept a 70.
Fishburn, who already has locked up his card for subsequent 12 months, was at 11-under 131 and led McNealy and Lee Hodges (63) going into the weekend. Michael Thorbjornsen had a 69 and was the one participant who needed to face Seaside on Friday who was among the many prime 5.
What mattered on this present day, nevertheless, was far down the leaderboard.
The RSM Basic is the ultimate event of the PGA Tour season, and solely the highest 125 within the FedExCup have full standing in 2025. That’s extra essential than ever with the tour solely taking the highest 100 for full playing cards after subsequent season. Gamers like Dahmen will want full standing to get as many enjoying alternatives as they’ll.
That explains why he felt a lot stress on a Friday. He didn’t make a bogey after his opening gap and was battling temperatures within 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 gap.
Dahmen additionally hit wedge to 2 toes on the sixteenth that put him on the minimize line, and from the 18th fairway, he was safely on the inexperienced some 40 toes away. However he lagged woefully quick, leaving himself a testy 5-footer together with his job on the road.
“It was an important putt. I used to be very nervous,” Dahmen stated. “However there’s nonetheless work to do. It wasn’t the game-winner, it was just like the half-court shot to get us to halftime. However with out that, and the way in which I performed right now, I wouldn’t have something this weekend.”
His enjoying companions weren’t so lucky. The Tour put three in peril of shedding their playing cards in the identical group — Zac Blair (No. 123), Dahmen and Wesley Bryan (No. 125).
The minimize was at 1-under 141. Blair and Bryan got here to the 18th gap needing birdie to be assured of creating the minimize and each narrowly missed. Now they’ve to attend to see if anybody passes them, which is usually the case.
Thorbjornsen in a tie for fourth and Daniel Berger (66 at Plantation) in a tie for seventeenth each had been projected to maneuver into the highest 125. Dahmen, certainly, nonetheless has work to do.
Fishburn will get a weekend to see if he can finish his rookie 12 months with a win.
“I’ve had a whole lot of expertise enjoying in chilly rising up in Utah, enjoying this time of 12 months, form of get used to enjoying when the physique’s not shifting very effectively and also you’ve bought to maneuver your palms,” stated Fishburn, who performed faculty golf at BYU. “Simply fairly pleased with how I performed.”
Ludvig Åberg, the defending champion and No. 5 participant on the earth competing for the primary time in additional than two months due to knee surgical procedure, bounced again with a 64 on Plantation and was again within the combine.
Åberg performed with Luke Clanton, the Florida State sophomore who appears like he belongs every week. Clanton, the No. 1 participant on the earth beginner rating who obtained a sponsor exemption, had a 65 at Plantation and was two pictures off the lead.
Clanton already has a runner-up and two different top-10s since June.
“Taking part in with him, it’s fairly superior to observe,” Clanton stated. “We had been form of fanboying just a little it. I do know he’s a very good dude however to be enjoying with him and to see what he’s executed over the past couple years, it’s fairly inspirational.”
