Joel Dahmen is turning things around at the Farmers Insurance Open, and he’s crediting an unusual training partner: a Navy SEAL.
The fan-favorite golfer has his sights set on the final round at Torrey Pines after nearly losing his PGA Tour card just months ago.
“I got better at life,” Dahmen told Amanda Balionis after his third round. It’s not what you’d expect to hear from a pro golfer, but then again, most pros don’t spend their off-season training with Navy SEALs.
The 37-year-old’s journey hasn’t been straightforward. He grabbed his first PGA Tour win in 2021 at the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship and became a household name through Netflix’s Full Swing series. But 2024 almost saw him lose it all.
That’s where the SEAL training came in.
“When you think of Navy SEAL stuff, you think crazy, physical stuff,” Dahmen explained. “But honestly, it was more mental than anything.” He spent time doing water training alongside his caddie Geno, though he jokes he’s “not Michael Phelps in the pool.”
The training paid off when it mattered most. Back in November, Dahmen faced a do-or-die situation at The RSM Classic. His PGA Tour card was on the line.
He responded with a spectacular five-under front nine of 30. Then came what he calls “one of the most stressful” par putts of his career on the 18th hole. He nailed it, finishing with a round-of-the-day 64.
That clutch performance locked up his Tour card for 2025, finishing 124th in the FedEx Cup Fall standings.
“I don’t want to go through this ever again,” Dahmen said after that nerve-wracking finish. But the mental toughness from his SEAL training helped him dig deeper than he thought possible.
Now he’s back in contention at Torrey Pines, looking more comfortable than ever. “I’ve put myself in a position where I can make a great start,” he said. “I’m looking forward to having a chance tomorrow.”
