Wyndham Championship 2025: Dahmen Leads, Spieth & Scott Contend

The timing of this particular round could not have been more opportune for Joel Dahmen. Entering the 2025 Wyndham Championship holding the No. 101 spot in the FedEx Cup standings, the golfer who has secured one PGA Tour victory initiated play impressively on Thursday at Sedgefield Country Club, seizing the first-round advantage in the PGA Tour’s regular season conclusion.

Achieving a 9-under 61, matching his career’s lowest round, Dahmen ascended to the leaderboard’s pinnacle, possessing a one-stroke margin over Alex Noren as they approached Friday’s second round.

“I’m not sure anyone anticipates a 61, but I did anticipate some strong golf,” Dahmen remarked. “I navigated approximately 45 holes the previous week without registering a bogey at the tournament’s commencement, performed admirably in Truckee at the Barracuda, barring a somewhat underwhelming Saturday. If we were to disregard approximately four holes from the previous week, it would have resembled a top-5 finish. As we often say in golf, we’re always trending, right? But in this instance, we’re genuinely trending, which is a welcome development.”

Thanks to his position at the leaderboard’s apex following the opening round, projections indicate Dahmen will ascend from beyond the top 100 to within the top 50 of the FedEx Cup standings. While this prospect is pleasing, the good-natured right-hander acknowledges that significant effort remains between now and the ultimate outcome, considering his vulnerable standing in the season-long competition.

Dahmen’s objective entering the week necessitated at least a two-way shared second-place result to infiltrate the top 70. Achieving this would serve him well, yet a victory would alleviate numerous calculations and guarantee him a spot at next week’s St. Jude Championship.

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“I mean, I’ve maybe had around three top-2 finishes throughout my career,” Dahmen recounted. “Or perhaps four? I suppose it’s not even a significant matter, wouldn’t you concur? Yes, qualifying for the Playoffs would be exceptional, granting me considerable time off this fall. Given that we have a baby on the way, this would alleviate some pressure. The Playoffs represent a bonus for me. I simply intend to perform well, and should I succeed in doing so, I suppose I’ll gain the opportunity to participate another week.”

While Dahmen navigates the possibilities of a playoff surge, his competitors aim to propel themselves closer to the postseason’s second stage. The reigning champion, Aaron Rai, sustained his affinity for the Donald Ross design on Thursday, carding eight birdies against a single bogey for an opening score of 63.

This score was mirrored by Cameron Young, a previous PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, who concluded his round with six birdies within his closing seven holes. Young remains in pursuit of his inaugural PGA Tour victory, which, if achieved, would mark the 1,000th distinct winner in the league’s history.

Simultaneously, Jordan Spieth, a 13-time victor, prominently positioned his name on the leaderboard’s initial page with a score of 65. Occupying the No. 50 spot in the FedEx Cup standings, Spieth arrived in Greensboro, North Carolina, with the intention of enhancing his position and solidifying his participation in the BMW Championship slated for two weeks hence.

The frontrunner

1. Joel Dahmen (-9)

The year 2025 witnessed alterations within Dahmen’s caddie arrangement, culminating in the parting of ways with his long-standing caddie and close companion, Geno Bonnalie, following a partnership spanning a decade. Aiming to assume greater ownership of his performance, Dahmen has subsequently achieved improved outcomes, including a top-20 finish at the Barracuda Championship.

Considering Dahmen’s proficient ball-striking on Thursday, the identity of his caddie would have been inconsequential. He accrued over three strokes utilizing his scoring instruments, with eight of his ten birdies originating from within a 15-foot radius. Additionally, a pair of impressive long-range connections, from 23 feet on the second hole and 50 feet on the seventh, constituted the remaining two circles on his scorecard.

“I deeply value Geno. We maintain daily contact via text,” Dahmen conveyed. “He’s thriving. While I miss him, there are occasions when the most demanding course of action is necessary. It wasn’t a straightforward decision. I won’t assert that I’m displeased, but it’s undoubtedly challenging. He remains my closest friend. 

“However, I needed to implement a personal transformation. It pertained more to my own mindset and conduct, and I needed to embrace accountability. I wasn’t performing adequately in that aspect. Consequently, a means for me to accomplish this involves simply engaging in golf independently to a certain extent. Therefore, while I deeply value him and miss him, I anticipate his swift return to the scene.”

Other contenders

2. Alex Noren (-8)
T3. Aaron Rai, Cameron Young, Nico Echavarria, Mark Hubbard (-7)
7. Sungjae Im (-6)
T8. Jordan Spieth, Chandler Phillips, Adam Scott, Lee Hodges, Matt Wallace, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Noah Goodwin, Matteo Manassero, Paul Peterson, Mac Meissner, Ricky Castillo (-5)

Spieth entered the week with confidence that his performance was superior to what the results indicated, and on Thursday, he took a significant stride towards reconciling these two aspects. Assembling a round that could have spiraled out of control given the manner in which he struck the ball at different junctures, the three-time major champion recovered from an early misstep to position himself for a legitimate contention bid in 2025.

Spieth relied substantially on his putter during the round’s middle phase, converting from distances of 12 feet, 50 feet, 12 feet, 16 feet, and 17 feet within an eight-hole stretch. Rectifying the situation subsequently, he secured four birdies within his closing five holes, encompassing makes from 14 and 16 feet to conclude. While the putter exhibited exceptional performance, Spieth will require the remainder of his game to contribute comparably moving forward.

“Everything was reasonably satisfactory,” Spieth commented. “My driving wasn’t particularly accurate until the last five or six holes. The same applied to my iron play, particularly within the last seven holes or so. Consequently, I commenced slightly off-kilter. My warmup this morning wasn’t optimal, and that translated into the round. However, it was encouraging to persevere, capitalize on opportunities on the greens, and conclude a couple of strokes under par despite not feeling exceptionally confident about my game. I then began to establish a favorable rhythm towards the end, which I aspire to sustain throughout the remainder of the week.”

Projected FedEx Cup bubble

2025 Wyndham Championship updated probabilities and selections

Probabilities via DraftKings Sportsbook

• Aaron Rai: 7-1
• Alex Noren: 8-1
• Joel Dahmen: 12-1
• Cameron Young: 12-1
• Nico Echavarria: 16-1
• Jordan Spieth: 18-1
• Mark Hubbard: 22-1
• Robert MacIntyre: 28-1

Despite the presence of notable names at the leaderboard’s forefront, none appear exceptionally intimidating with 54 holes still to be contested. Instead, let us turn our attention to Bezuidenhout, who trails Dahmen’s pace by a mere four strokes after accurately hitting 11 of 14 fairways and reaching 16 of 18 greens in regulation. Renowned for his exceptional putting prowess, the South African is poised to ascend the leaderboard should his putter begin to cooperate. His probabilities are assessed at 30-1, while Max Homa, priced at 60-1 with a score of 4 under par, could also prove to be an intriguing dark horse.