Joel Dahmen co-leads 2022 U.S. Open thanks to not being a ‘pro golfer’

BROOKLINE, Mass. – Professional golfers reinvent themselves all the time. Short hitters gain length, poor putters find a way to make putts and perennial contenders find a way to win.

For Joel Dahmen, the PGA Tour’s unfiltered Everyman, he needed to learn what not to be – a professional golfer.

“My rookie year out here I was not myself. I was trying to be a pro golfer, and that’s not who I am, per se,” Dahmen said. “I’m a little more laid back and like to have a little more fun, and I have my best friend beside me in [caddie Geno Bonnalie], and he is a ton of fun, and he’s fun to be around.”

Full-field scores from U.S. Open

After a fast start Friday at Brookline, Dahmen’s round began moving in the wrong direction with a bogey at No. 10 when he made a familiar adjustment.

“I actually caught myself a little bit on the front today, kind of keeping my head down, trying to almost be a pro golfer,” said Dahmen, who finished with a 4-under 66 and was tied for the 36-hole lead with Collin Morikawa. “Those big guys just keep their head down and keep going, but I wave to people and I say, hi. I’ve just got to keep doing that.”