The RSM Classic, the final PGA Tour event of the calendar year, saw some compelling storylines emerge in Friday’s second round at Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island, Georgia. PGA Tour rookie Patrick Fishburn seized the 36-hole lead with a stellar bogey-free 8-under par 64, while veteran Joel Dahmen made a clutch par putt on the 18th hole to make the cut on the number and keep his tour card hopes alive for the weekend.
Fishburn Fires 64 to Take Lead
Patrick Fishburn, a 30-year-old PGA Tour rookie out of Brigham Young University, took advantage of the easier Plantation Course setup to post the low round of the day, an 8-under 64 that vaulted him to the top of the leaderboard at 11-under par overall. Fishburn’s bogey-free effort featured eight birdies, including a string of five in a row on holes 5-9.
The Utah native, who has already secured his PGA Tour card for next season, credited his experience playing in cold weather as a key to his stellar play amid chilly and windy conditions on the coastal Georgia layout.
“I’ve had a lot of experience playing in cold growing up in Utah, playing this time of year, kind of get used to playing when the body’s not moving very well and you’ve got to move your hands,” Fishburn said. “Just pretty happy with how I played.”
– Patrick Fishburn
Fishburn will take a one-shot lead over Maverick McNealy and Lee Hodges into the weekend. First round leader McNealy, who opened with a 62 on the Seaside Course, struggled to a 70 on the Plantation layout to fall one back at 10-under. Defending champion Ludvig Åberg, the world’s 5th-ranked amateur, bounced back from an opening 73 with a 64 to get back into contention at 7-under par.
Dahmen Makes Clutch Putt to Make Cut
While Fishburn surged to the top of the leaderboard, the bigger story may have been further down the standings, where Joel Dahmen drained a nerve-wracking 5-foot par putt on his final hole to make the cut on the number at 1-under par. Dahmen came into the week ranked 124th in the FedEx Cup standings, and making the cut was critical to maintaining his full PGA Tour status for next season.
“I still got more to write this weekend for sure,” an emotional Dahmen said after his round. “But without having the opportunity to play this weekend, my story would be a lot shorter this year.”
– Joel Dahmen
Dahmen’s clutch performance ensures that his “story” – his quest to retain full PGA Tour playing privileges for 2025 – will continue for at least two more rounds. The 35-year-old Washington native and cancer survivor has been a fan favorite throughout his PGA Tour career.
Notables Miss the Cut
While Dahmen advanced to the weekend right on the cut line, some other notable names weren’t as fortunate:
- Zac Blair (123rd in FedEx Cup): Missed cut by one after bogey on 18
- Wesley Bryan (125th in FedEx Cup): Also missed cut by one, failed to birdie 18
- 2022 Rookie of the Year Cameron Young: 76-75 to miss by a shot
- Sahith Theegala (29th in FedEx Cup): 73-71 to miss cut
The RSM Classic’s 36-hole cut fell at 1-under 141, with 76 players advancing to play the weekend exclusively on the Seaside Course. The winner will receive 500 FedEx Cup points and a $3.6 million prize from the $20 million purse.
Round 3 Preview
Saturday’s third round will see Fishburn and McNealy, the final pairing, tee off at 12:45 p.m. ET. Earlier pairings will include several young stars, such as Ludvig Åberg (-7), Luke Clanton (-9), and Michael Thorbjornsen (-8), alongside seasoned veterans fighting for their tour status like Dahmen (-1), Tyler Duncan (-2), and Chesson Hadley (-4).
With weather forecasts calling for continued cold temperatures and strong winds, the stage is set for an exciting, difficult weekend on the Seaside Course as dreams will either be realized or dashed at the PGA Tour’s final official event of 2024.
