It was a par putt. On the 18th hole at Sea Island’s Seaside Course to end the second round of the RSM Classic. Only five feet, six inches. But it was the difference between Joel Dahmen potentially having a place to play next year on the PGA Tour … or not.

The 37-year-old tour winner pumped his fist as the ball trickled into the hole, putting the finishing touches on a 68 that will allow him to play two more rounds. He started the week at No. 124 in the FedEx Cup standings, just one spot inside the 125th position that keeps PGA Tour status for 2025. Although he’s projected to be No. 126 right now, he has two more rounds to make up ground.

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“I still got more to write this weekend, for sure, but without having the opportunity to play this weekend, my story would be a lot shorter this year,” an emotional Dahmen said. “I have a lot left in me and I’m going to give my all, but this weekend’s big, for sure.”

A clutch putt on 18 with his job on the line.
@Joel_Dahmen makes par at the final hole to make the cut @TheRSMClassic.

He’s currently projected No. 127 in the #FedExCup but 36 holes remain for him to get inside the top 125 bubble.

📺: GOLF Channel pic.twitter.com/eztOgXgG3G

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 22, 2024

Dahmen tied for 14th place at the World Wide Technology Championship but missed the cut last week at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. He knew this week in St. Simons, Ga., was going to be nerve-wracking.

Opening with a 73 didn’t help make it better as Dahmen was well outside the cut line to start the day. He bogeyed the first hole in the second round and birdied the second. After 11 straight pars, he birdied the 14th and 16th holes and closed with two more pars for a two-under 68. The one-under total was one inside the cut line.

“Yeah, it was a great putt. I was very nervous. But there’s still work to do,” said Dahmen, who blew his 40-foot birdie attempt on the 18th five feet by the hole. “It wasn’t the game winner, it was like the half-court shot to get us like at halftime. But without that and the way I played today, I wouldn’t have anything this weekend. I’m hoping I play great this weekend and I hit 36 greens and I just kind of plod my way around and it’s super easy, but that’s not the way golf is.”

“It’s like you’re sleeping on the lead of a major … but a little more stressful than that.”

An emotional @Joel_Dahmen reflects on grinding it out at the end of the season and what it means for him and his family.

He enters the weekend projected No. 126 with full status for… pic.twitter.com/TigNLSdIGg

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 22, 2024

With Dahmen being fortunate, there were others who were not. Wesley Bryan started the week at No. 125 in FedEx Cup points and missed the cut. He played a four-hole stretch in three over late in his round and is projected No. 127 in points. Zac Blair is now projected to be 125th in points but missed the cut and his fate is now out of his control. He started the week at No. 123.

On the other end of the spectrum, Michael Thorbjornsen started the week 138th and is projected to be 119th after shooting 64-69 to sit in a fourth-place tie. Daniel Berger started the week 127and is tied for 17th place in Sea Island. He’s projected to be 120th.

This article was originally published on golfdigest.com