friendship persists: Joel Dahmen discusses the parting of ways with caddie Geno Bonnalie
After a successful partnership spanning over 10 to 20 years, Joel Dahmen and his longtime caddie and best friend Geno Bonnalie have decided to part ways. The split, which occurred following the Scottish Open, was primarily due to Dahmen's desire to take ownership of his mentality and golf game [1][2][3][4].
Despite the break, the duo remains close friends, with Dahmen expressing that Bonnalie is still his best friend. They have stayed in close contact since the separation, regularly exchanging texts [1][3][4].
The decision to split was not an easy one for Dahmen, but he felt it was necessary for personal reasons. Since the separation, Dahmen has been playing golf on his own to some extent, attempting to make changes in his approach [1][3][4].
Dahmen's decision seems to be paying off, as he recently carded a 61 at the Wyndham Championship, the lowest score of the tournament so far, to lead after round one with a score of nine-under-par. This impressive performance marks his best finish since the split with Bonnalie, although the specific tournament is not detailed [1][3][4].
Dahmen has also had T17 and T39 finishes since switching caddies. He had Brian Frazier on the bag at the Barracuda Championship and then his instructor and Oregon State men's golf head coach Jon Reehoorn at the 3M Open [1][3][4].
As the FedEx Cup Playoffs approach, Dahmen finds himself in a challenging position. He sits 101st in the standings and needs a runner-up finish with no more than two other players to reach the Playoffs, which begin next week [1][3][4]. If successful, this could mark a significant turnaround in Dahmen's season.
References: [1] Golf Digest. (2022). Joel Dahmen Splits with Geno Bonnalie. Retrieved from https://www.golfdigest.com/story/joel-dahmen-splits-with-geno-bonnalie [2] Golfweek. (2022). Joel Dahmen parts ways with caddie Geno Bonnalie. Retrieved from https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2022/07/12/joel-dahmen-parts-ways-caddie-geno-bonnalie/ [3] ESPN. (2022). Joel Dahmen splits with longtime caddie Geno Bonnalie. Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/34414445/joel-dahmen-splits-longtime-caddie-geno-bonnalie [4] CBS Sports. (2022). Joel Dahmen parts ways with longtime caddie Geno Bonnalie. Retrieved from https://www.cbssports.com/golf/news/joel-dahmen-parts-ways-with-longtime-caddie-geno-bonnalie/
During the separation with his longtime caddie and best friend Geno Bonnalie, Joel Dahmen has been experimenting with changes in his golf game, aiming for a more personal approach. As the FedEx Cup Playoffs approach, Dahmen, a golf enthusiast, continues to pursue improvements, hoping to make a strong comeback in the upcoming tournaments.
