Shirt off, helmet on.
Joel Dahmen is a special kind of player — and entertainer.
Fresh off a T-7 at Torrey Pines last week, Dahmen brought the energy to the WM Phoenix Open on Thursday afternoon by wearing a Seattle Seahawks helmet inside the tournament’s famous “Coliseum.”
He took off the football helmet and replaced it with his bucket hat before a chip-in attempt on the 16th hole. When the chip went in for birdie, Dahmen raised both hands and soaked in the cheers from the crowd.
“We were trying to figure out what to do to be subtle but still for the Seahawks, so my caddie, Ben Hulka, he used to be the equipment manager for the Seahawks,” Dahmen told reporters after the round.
Hulka was able to get an official helmet for Dahmen, thanks to that connection.
“It was debatable about throwing it on after such a bad shot in there, but, yeah, hit an unbelievable pitch shot that rolled in like a putt and the environment is really special after that,” Dahmen added.
Dahmen was born and raised in Clarkston, Washington, and played golf at the University of Washington for a year. To nobody’s surprise after the Round 1 helmet display at TPC Scottsdale, Dahmen is pulling for his hometown Seahawks over the New England Patriots in Sunday’s Super Bowl.
He’s competing via sponsor invite in this week — in his new hometown, Scottsdale, Arizona. His pitch to tournament organizers was a letter with an attached green polo.
That was a nod to when Dahmen and fellow competitor Harry Higgs took their shirts off while playing the par-3 16th hole four years ago. Dahmen and Higgs were both reprimanded by the PGA Tour, though they weren’t fined for their viral moment.
“Being a sponsor invite this week, you try to embrace it,” Dahmen said. “It’s my hometown so I love being here, love the event. Whether you’re in first place or last place, you’re still amped up on 16.”
Dahmen was asked about his prediction for Sunday’s game, which is being played in Santa Clara, California.
“I don’t know why the line is only four and a half, we’re going to win by two touchdowns,” Dahmen predicted. “There is no way — there is nothing on their team that’s scary for us right now. Unless Drake Maye runs for 150 yards, but I don’t see that happening.”