Three years later, Dahmen had his card. This is my eighth year out here,” he said. I probably made it longer than I ever thought.
—
ST.SIMONSISLAND,Ga.(AP)—GettingaPGATourcardisdifficultenough.JoelDahmencanattesttothat.
Hewasanaturaltalentwhoselifegotturnedupsidedownwhenhismotherdiedofcancerhisjunioryearofhighschool.Hisbrotherwasdiagnosedwithtesticularcancer,andthenDahmenwasdiagnosedwithtesticularcancersome18monthslater.Onesetbackafteranother.
Rockbottomwasspendingtwoweeksonthecouchwithadogheboughttokeephimcompany,unabletopayhisphonebillfortwomonthsuntilLona—nowhiswife—gavehimanultimatumtopracticeorgetajob.Shealsogavehim$200togetalesson.
Thelessonwasn’tanythinghedidn’talreadyknow,itwasmoresymbolicofbeingdedicated.Threeyearslater,Dahmenhadhiscard.
“Thisismyeighthyearouthere,”hesaid.“IprobablymadeitlongerthanIeverthought.”
Andthat’swhatcanmakekeepingaPGATourcardevenmorestressful.Dahmenknowsthatfeeling,too.Hewaslivingit.
Dahmenwasa5-footparputtawayfrommissingthecutat
