Corales Championship winner Joel Dahmen, caddie Geno Bonnalie, provide one of golf’s great feel-good stories

Joel Dahmen, Geno Bonnalie
Joel Dahmen and caddie Geno Bonnalie. Photo: Leinani Shak Photography

There are so many great feel-good stories in the game of golf.

The latest unfolded on Sunday evening in the Dominican Republic, as Joel Dahmen notched his first career PGA Tour victory in the Corales Championship with his great friend and longtime caddie Geno Bonnalie by his side every step of the way.

The moment, understandably, was an emotional one for the pair:

The 33-year-old Dahmen is a cancer survivor and — along with Geno — two of the funnest guys in golf. Just ask around.

Or, check out the message Joel sent Geno at the start of what would be the greatest week of their careers to date (and take note of the photo Geno uses of Dahmen — from a face-altering app — in his phone):

We’ve done a lot with Geno over the last few years here at The Caddie Network and wanted to highlight it all here in one place so you can get a deeper appreciation for why Sunday’s win with Joel was so cool…

– First of all, did you know that it was a heartfelt email from Geno to Joel, his childhood friend, that set up their player/caddie partnership? You can click here to read all about it in this first-person piece Geno wrote for us, which includes the complete email. You’ll also be amazed to learn that Geno owns several Guinness Book of World Records in golf.

– That time Geno got to hang with Tiger Woods was pretty cool:

– At the 2019 Players Championship, Geno was brave enough (or crazy enough, depending on how you view it) to take the one-chip challenge. While he suffered through excruciating pain, Geno explained that he once broke both arms at the same time and would rather have that happen again than take the one-chip challenge ever again. Click here to find out how the hell Geno broke both arms at the same time — on a golf course, no less — and to see what happened when he took the one-chip challenge.

– Geno, in typical Geno fashion, had some great lines when we talked to him before the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black — the first major for which Joel had ever qualified.

– Later that year when Joel and Geno went over to the Open Championship at Royal Portrush, Geno said it was, “As big as the Masters to me,” since it was the major that was always his favorite to watch.

– Geno was one of our first guest hosts for The Caddie Network’s “Happy Hour” podcast in April 2020, where he told some incredible stories that you can relive by clicking here.

– There was also that time Geno may have gotten hustled by a couple of caddie buddies when they played their own match. Watch it here.

– With Sunday’s win, we’re hoping Geno’s accommodations for all U.S. Opens going forward are better than they were in 2020:

– And if you need one more reason to be over the moon for Joel and Geno, it’s worth your time to check out this story we compiled on how Geno hung in there early on when the money was tight as can be.

COMMENTS

  1. Many Congrats to Joel and Geno for their breakthrough win over in the DR!
    I look forward to hearing more good/funny stories as we go forward with the hope for many wins in the future!
    Good luck to them!

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