In a moment that left hearts racing, Joel Dahmen found himself grappling with a staggering defeat at the Corales Puntacana Championship. Just moments after stepping off the course, Dahmen faced the press, still reeling from a collapse that undoubtedly shattered his dreams of a second PGA Tour victory.

"Honestly, I'm still in shock," Dahmen confessed, his voice steady yet heavy with disappointment. After leading throughout the tournament, including an impressive 17-under after 11 holes of his final round, a series of missteps in windy conditions left him with a bitter taste of regret.

Despite holding a two-shot lead, Dahmen's game unraveled in the final stretch. A painful three-putt bogey on the par-4 13th set the tone for his downturn. The tension peaked at the par-4 16th when a wayward 8-iron shot missed the green, followed by a missed one-foot par save at the par-3 17th, which he later reflected on with frustration, noting, "Unfortunately, I'm prone to that at times."

With pressure mounting, Dahmen faced an 8-foot par putt that could have forced a sudden-death playoff against Garrick Higgo, who finished at 14 under. But the putt slipped by, sealing his fate and leaving him stunned.

"All of a sudden, I wake up and realize I've lost the tournament," Dahmen said, visibly grappling with his emotions. His final score of 76 left him tied for second alongside fellow golfers Alejandro Tosti, Keith Mitchell, Jeremy Paul, and Michael Thorbjornsen, who shared similar misfortunes on the final holes.

"When you’re in a position to win, it affects you in strange ways, and I didn’t handle it well today," he candidly admitted, revealing that while he felt mentally centered, his physical game betrayed him.

"This one could take a while to get over. You learn more in defeat, unfortunately,” he lamented, casting a shadow over what should have been a crowning achievement.

Looking ahead, Dahmen expressed optimism about the upcoming Zurich Classic in New Orleans, where he’ll team up with his friend Harry Higgs. The prospect of camaraderie provided a glimmer of hope, especially with his wife, Lona, flying in for support.

Yet, as he reflected on his recent heartbreak, there was no denying the depth of pain. "This one’s going to sting for a while," he sighed, a stark reminder of the highs and lows of professional golf.